Responses to the appeal for action on the 14/10 Macedonian minority trial in Greece
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Message-Id: <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 15:51:07 -0700
Subject: Responses to the appeal for action on the 14/10 Macedonian minority trial in Greece
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Greek Helsinki Monitor & Minority Rights Group - Greece
<[email protected]>
Responses to the appeal for action on the 14/10 Macedonian
minority trial in Greece
PRESS RELEASE
11/10/1997
TOPIC: RESPONSES TO THE APPEAL FOR URGENT ACTION ON THE FORTHCOMING
OUTRAGEOUS TRIAL OF A MACEDONIAN MINORITY PARTY IN GREECE FOR PUBLIC USE
OF THEIR MOTHER TONGUE
Following the appeal launched by our organizations on 1/10/1997, a
considerable number of human rights and other organizations publicly
condemned the trial of the Rainbow Macedonian activists to be held on
14/10/1997. They did so with published statements or during the press
conference our organizations held on 10/10/1997 in the Foreign Press
Club
in Athens.
The following non-governmental organizations participated in the press
conference:
Citizens Movement Against Racism,
Forum of Social and Youth Organizations for Human Rights,
Greek Committee for International Democratic Solidarity (EEDDA)
Greek Helsinki Monitor
Greek League for Human and Civil Rights,
Minority Rights Group - Greece
Movement for Human Rights and Against Racism (Kalamata),
Network of Movements for Political and Social Rights,
SOS Racism,
Turkish Minority Movement for Human and Minority Rights
Youth Against Racism in Europe (YRE).
Also the political parties:
Organization for the Reconstruction of the Communist Party of Greece
(OAKKE)
Progressive Left Coalition (Synaspismos).
Follow the initial appeal of our organizations and the statements
received.
>From Greece:
1. Birol Akifoglou - New Democracy Member Of Parliament For Xanthi
2. Progressive Left Coalition (Synaspismos)
3. Turkish Minority Movement For Human And Minority Rights
>From international NGOs:
1. Albanian Helsinki Committee
2. Amnesty International
3. Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
4. Human Rights Watch/Helsinki
5. International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights
6. Moscow Helsinki Group
__________________________________________________________
GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR
(Greek National Committee of the International Helsinki Federation)
& MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP - GREECE
(Greek Affiliate of Minority Rights Group International)
P.O. Box 51393, GR-14510 Kifisia, Greece
Tel. 30-1-620.01.20; Fax: 30-1-807.57.67; E-mail: [email protected]
_________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
1/10/1997
TOPIC: APPEAL FOR URGENT ACTION ON THE FORTHCOMING OUTRAGEOUS TRIAL OF A
MACEDONIAN MINORITY PARTY IN GREECE FOR PUBLIC USE OF THEIR MOTHER
TONGUE
The cooperating organizations, Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority
Rights
Group - Greece, appeal to the international community, to concerned
individuals but especially to governmental and non-governmental
organizations as well as to the media to publicly protest against the
-outrageous for a democratic country- forthcoming trial of Vasilis
Romas,
Costas Tasopoulos, Petros Vasiliadis, and Pavlos Voskopoulos, in their
capacity as leaders of "Rainbow" - the Macedonian minority party in
Greece - for public use of their mother tongue. These protests may take
the form of statements and/or letters to the Prime Minister of Greece
and/or the Greek Embassies in the various countries. They also appeal to
these institutions to send monitors to that trial, to be held on
14/10/1997, in Florina (Northern Greece). The International Helsinki
Federation has decided to send a large, multinational monitoring team.
Please send copies of such statements or letters to our organizations
(see address above).
It is noteworthy that the witnesses of the prosecution include the local
leaders of all five main Greek parties at the time (PASOK, ND, Political
Spring, KKE, and Coalition); as well as leaders of professional
associations (lawyers, merchants, priests, taxi drivers). Most of them,
in their pre-trial depositions characterize the defendants as "paid
agents of Skopjan propaganda", "anti-Greeks", etc. Follow: a summary of
the September 1995 events; complete translations of the indictment and
of the allegedly violated article of the penal code; and the list of
witnesses for the prosecution.
The events of September 1995
Rainbow opened an office on 6/9/1995 in Florina, with a sign mentioning
"Rainbow - Florina Committee" in both Greek and Macedonian. On the
evening and night of 13 (and early hours of 14)/9/1995, the office was
attacked and eventually sacked by a mob, led by the mayor of Florina.
Before the sacking, police acting on the prosecutors order removed the
sign, while the prosecutor announced the indictment of the Rainbow
leaders for having incited discord among citizens through the use of the
Macedonian language in their sign. No political party, nor any media
condemned the sacking of the party offices. On the contrary it was
praised by extreme right nationalistic papers like Stohos and Chrysi
Avghi, whose members reportedly took part in the sacking. And the use of
the bilingual sign was condemned by all mainstream political parties and
other social groups: the local PASOK - socialist governing party -
organization even initiated a court procedure, later withdrawn as it
appeared that many signatures on it had been put without the knowledge
of those concerned.
Indictment for the trial at the Single-Member Misdemeanor Court of
Florina on October 14, 1997
"Vasilis Romas, Costas Tasopoulos, Petros Vasiliadis, and Pavlos
Voskopoulos are responsible for, having acted jointly and in public, in
any way having caused and incited mutual hatred among the citizens, so
that common peace was disturbed on September 6, 1995 in Florina.
Specifically, in the aforementioned place and time, as legally
representing the party with the name "Rainbow" ("Ouranio Toxo"), the
four defendants hanged a sign in that partys office - in N. Hasou and
St. Dragoumi streets. Among other words written therein, there were the
words "Lerinski Komitet" written in a Slavic linguistic idiom. These
words, in combination with the fact that they were written in a foreign
language, in the specific Slavic linguistic idiom, provoked and incited
discord among the areas citizens. The latter justifiably, besides other
things, identify these words with an old terrorist organization of
Slavic-speaking alien nationals which was active in the area and which,
with genocide crimes, pillages and depredations against the indigenous
Greek population, attempted the annihilation of the Greek element and
the annexation of the greater area of the age-long Greek Macedonia to a
neighboring country, which at the time was Greeces enemy."
Witnesses for the prosecution
N. Batsilas, policeman; J. Germanidis, president of the Florina Doctors
Association, and elected Florina District Councilman for the political
party "New Democracy"; N. Fanouriakis, president of the Florina
Merchants Association; A. Konstantinidis, lawyer; Th. Passalis,
priest-canon of the Florina Diocese; A. Germanidis, Secretary of the
Florina District Organization of the political party "Coalition"; T.
Kokkos, journalist; D.Liatopoulos, merchant; L. Nalpantidis, president
of the commune Aghios Achillios, Florina; C. Zaravelis, president of the
"Radiotaxi" Association; J. Novas, merchant; G. Moulis, representative
of the Florina District Organization of the political party "Communist
Party of Greece - KKE"; F.Kolettis, President of the Florina District
Organization of the political party "New Democracy"; D. Tserkezos,
Secretary General of the "National Organization of Macedonian Fighters
of the Florina District"; E.Mavropoulos, representative of the Florina
District Organization of the political party "Political Spring"; M.
Tsotskos, Secretary of the Florina District Organization of the
political party "PASOK". Moreover, the prosecution added in the trial
file public statements denouncing the bilingual sign, issued in
September 1995 by the Florina Bar Association, and by the General
Meeting of the Florina Diocese Priests.
Allegedly violated Article 192 of the penal code: "One who publicly and
by any means causes or incites citizens to commit acts of violence upon
each other or to disturb the peace through disharmony among them shall
be punished by imprisonment for not ore than two years unless a greater
punishment is imposed by another provision."
___________________________________________________________
BIROL AKIFOGLOU
Member of Parliament for Xanthi
Town Councilor in the Municipality of Xanthi
Athens 9/10/97
I consider it my obligation to condemn the upcoming trial of activists
of
the "Rainbow" political party, in Florina, on the 14/10/97. These cadres
are prosecuted because the party used an inscription in the mother
language of the minority citizens in Macedonia similar to those used in
their own mother language by politicians of the minority in Thrace
without them being prosecuted.
I consider that it is time for Greek justice to align itself with the
internationally applicable principles of human and minority rights,
which
are binding also for Greece. Inter alia, these allow for the possibility
of minorities to self-ascription and not hetero-determination, as well
as for the respect and free use of mother languages.
Akifoglou Birol
Member of Parliament for Xanthi
(The translation in English is the responsibility of Greek Helsinki
Monitor)
_________________________________________________________
PROGRESSIVE LEFT COALITION (SYNASPISMOS)
_________________________________________________________
PRESS RELEASE
Concerning the trial of "Rainbow" members in Florina, the Coalitions
Press Office stresses that:
The trial against "Rainbow" members to be held in Florina on 14/10 is
based on article 192 of the Penal Code, which is a residue of the civil
war and the abolition of which the Coalition has asked for since 1992.
Such trials violate freedom of expression and aggravate rather than
solve
the problems.
Our country must respect the OSCE Treaties, as well as the Council of
Europes Convention on minority rights which she has signed.
9/10/97
Press Office
(The translation in English is the responsibility of Greek Helsinki
Monitor)
___________________________________________________________
TURKISH MINORITY MOVEMENT
FOR HUMAN AND MINORITY RIGHTS
__________________________________________________________
PUBLIC DENUNCIATION AND STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY
ON THE TRIAL OF THE FLORINA FOUR
Komotini 8-10-97
On the occasion of the "Trial of the Florina Four", the Turkish Minority
Movement for Human and Minority Rights denounces the national-
totalitarian mentality governing the overall prosecution of the four
activists of the minority Macedonian party "Rainbow", Romas Bassilis,
Tassopoulos Costas, Vassiliades Petros and Voskopoulos Pavlos, who will
be brought to trial on the 14.10.97, in Florina, for hanging up a sign
with an inscription in their mother Macedonian minority language, on the
charge that this has provoked division among the citizens.
So, we denounce the national - totalitarian mentaility in the planning
of
the prosecution as the truly guilty party for provoking a division among
the citizens which does not tolerate any expression of minority and
ethnic-cultural differences, as a curse upon the Balkans and as a father
of Balkan fascism and racism which is resuscitated magnificently with
the
oncoming "Trial of the Florina Four" and with all that has preceded the
trial. And thus it proves that it has lost nothing from its vigor and
leveling out momentum on account of the country's European perspective,
the incorporation into the procedures of a multicultural society and the
international commitments to respect and protect minority groups.
National-totalitarianism is flourishing.
Consequently, it is not an unprecedented matter that an inscription in a
minority mother language is dealt with as high treason and is
prosecuted,
that the right to ethnic self - ascription of minority groups is
considered as treason and is banned, and that terrorism against
minorities by means of the familiar method of indignant citizens is
consecrated and rewarded.
Among all its negative aspects, the Florina trial achieves also a
positive function: it reveals the true situation prevailing in the field
of minority rights in Greece, but also in the field of freedom of
expression when it does not proceed in parallel with the dominant
national-totalitarianism. Also, it exposes the hypocritical stance taken
by the modernist government which, abroad and in relation to the
neighboring countries, devotes itself to championing human and minority
rights, whereas inside the country, to anachronistic authoritarianism.
Moreover, it exposes the guilty silence and eloquent complicity on the
part of the political parties.
The Turkish Minority Movement for Human and Minority Rights coming from
a
similar area, the Turkish Minority in Thrace, confronted with similar
problems, deprivations, restrictions and persecutions, offers its
whole-hearted support to the Florina Four in their ordeal.
The translation in English is the responsibility of Greek Helsinki
Monitor)
_____________________________________________________________
KOMITETI SHQIPTAR I HELSINKIT
ALBANIAN HELSINKI COMMITTEE
Rr. Ali Deimi, Pall. 2, Ap. 12 Tirana - Albania
_____________________________________________________________
STATEMENT
October 8, 1997
The AHC joins the voice of concern to that of the international HR
community about the upcoming trial of four Greek citizens from the
Macedonian minority to be held in Florina on October14. We believe that
the charges against them are in open contradiction to the law and
practices of a democratic country as Greece is and to the international
instruments, in particular to the Convention for the Protection of
National Minorities of the Council of Europe.
The four individuals are accused of "having caused and incited mutual
hared among citizens", because they hung a sign in both the Greek and
Macedonian languages outside their party - office in Florina two years
ago.
Any consideration related to the past is not a sufficient basis for a
criminal action to be initiated by the state against individuals or an
organization that wishes to use its mother language.
We hope that reason will prevail and the Greek Court will drop the
charges brought against the four defendants, thus giving one more proof
that Greece is fully devoted to the respect of human rights and
fundamental freedoms as it suits to a genuine democracy.
____________________________________________________________
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
____________________________________________________________
AI INDEX: EUR 25/10/97
NEWS SERVICE
9 OCTOBER
1997 171/97
Greece: Amnesty International will adopt members of "Rainbow" party as
prisoners of conscience in case of imprisonment
Amnesty International will adopt four members of the ethnic Macedonian
minority party "Rainbow" as prisoners of conscience and will call for
their immediate and unconditional release should they be imprisoned
after their trial, the human rights organization said in a letter to the
Greek
government today.
According to the indictment the four "Rainbow" members Vasilis Romas,
Costas Tasopoulos, Petros Vasiliadis, and Pavlos Voskopoulos - whose
trial
will begin in Florina on 14 October - are accused of "causing and
inciting
mutual hatred among the citizens" and thus violating Article 192 of the
Greek Penal Code by displaying a sign, with the words "Florina
Committee"
in both Greek and Macedonian, outside the Florina office of the Rainbow
Party in September 1995.
The indictment further states that the use of the Macedonian words
"Lerinski Komitet" "provoked and incited discord among the areas
citizens
[who] justifiably identify these words with an old terrorist
organization of Slavic-speaking alien nationals which was active in the
area".
According to Amnesty Internationals information, the sign was removed
by
order of the local authorities and shortly afterwards the office was
attacked by a mob. Reportedly no charges have been brought in connection
with the attack.
Amnesty International believes that the prosecution of Vasilis Romas,
Costas Tasopoulos, Petros Vasiliadis, and Pavlos Voskopoulos represents
a
violation of Article 10 (1) of the European Convention for the
Protection
of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms (ECHR), which Greece has
ratified
and is legally bound to observe. Article 10 (1) states that: "Everyone
has
the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to
hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without
interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers".
____________________________________________________________
BULGARIAN HELSINKI COMMITTEE
____________________________________________________________
STATEMENT
8 October 1997
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee is deeply concerned about the prosecution
and
possible conviction of four Greek citizens - Vasilis Romas, Costas
Tasopulos, Petros Vasilidis, and Pavlos Voskopoulos, activist of the
Rainbow Party. According to the information, available to the BHC, the
four individuals face trial for the peaceful expression of their
opinions - for hanging a sign on Greek and Macedonian outside of their
party office in Florina. This allegedly was the cause of violent acts of
which however the activists of the Macedonian Party were the sole
victims.
Prosecution and possible conviction in such circumstances is in
violation
of a number of provisions of international human rights law, including
some accepted by Greece. We call upon the Greek government to carefully
reconsider the basis of the charges and to drop them.
Krassimir Kanev
Chair
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee
____________________________________________________________
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH/HELSINKI
__________________________________________________
485 Fifth Ave.
NY, NY. 10017
Telephone: 212-972-8400
Facsimile: 212-972-0905
E-mail: [email protected]
October 9, 1997
Mr. Costas Simitis
Prime Minister of Greece
Honorable Prime Minister Simitis:
Human Rights Watch/Helsinki, the largest American-based human rights
organization, is deeply concerned about the upcoming trial of four Greek
citizens from the Macedonian minority to be held in Florina on October
14.
We believe that the charges against them do not comport with Greek or
international law and comprise an unlawful restriction on the right to
free expression.
The four individuals, Vasilis Romas, Costas Tasopoulos, Petros
Vasiliadis, and Pavlos Voskopoulos, activists of the ethnic Macedonian
Rainbow Party, are accused of "having caused and incited mutual hatred
among citizens" because they hung a sign on September 6, 1995, saying
"Rainbow - Florina Committee" in both the Greek and Macedonian languages
outside of their party office in Florina. In the evening of September
13,
the police removed the sign on order of the state prosecutor. Shortly
thereafter, a mob of people led by the Florina mayor physically attacked
the office.
The prosecutor charged the Rainbow Party leaders with inciting
citizens to commit acts of violence, according to Article 192 of the
Greek
Penal Code. No criminal charges have been filed against the individuals
or political leaders who took part in the attack on the office, even
though the Rainbow Party leaders have filed such complaints. Quite the
contrary, neither the government nor any of the major political parties
condemned the attack. PASOK, the ruling party in Greece, publicly
condemned the use of bilingual signs.
Human Rights Watch/Helsinki understands that the Macedonian minority
in Greece is a sensitive political and emotional issue and that the
Macedonian words "Lerinski Komitet" ("Florina Committee") outside of the
Rainbow Party office reminded some Greek citizens of a terrorist
organization that was historically active in the region. However, this
in
no way justifies a mob attack on the party's office or a criminal action
by the state against those who use their mother language. Human Rights
Watch/Helsinki considers such legal action to be a direct violation of
the
right to free expression, as guaranteed in both Greek and international
law. Likewise, by not prosecuting those who attacked the Rainbow Party
office, the state is tolerating and, therefore, implicitly condoning mob
justice rather than the rule of law. Human Rights Watch/Helsinki calls
on
the Greek government to drop its charges against the four defendants and
to prosecute those who organized and were involved in the September 14,
1995, attack.
Sincerely yours,
Holly Cartner (Executive Director)
____________________________________________________________
INTERNATIONAL HELSINKI FEDERATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
Rummelhardtgasse 2/18, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Bank account:
Creditanstalt-Bankverein 0221-00283/00, BLZ 11 000
Tel: +43-1-402 73 87, 408 88 22, Fax: +43-1-408 74 44, E-mail:
[email protected]
____________________________________________________________
GREEK CHARGES AGAINST MACEDONIAN MINORITY PARTY
CONTRADICT EUROPEAN STANDARDS
Vienna, 9 October 1997: The International Helsinki Federation (IHF)
appeals to the international community to give due attention to the
trial of four leaders of "Rainbow," the Macedonian minority party in
Greece, in Florina, northern Greece on 14 October.
The members of this legal political party are charged under Article 192
of
the Greek Penal Code concerning incitement to violence or peace
disturbance, for hanging a sign in the partys office displaying the
words
"Lerinski Komitet."
The indictment alleges that the use of these words, "in combination with
the fact that they are written in a foreign language, in the specific
Slavic idiom, provoked and incited discord among the areas citizens,"
adding that one can justifiably identify these words with "an old
terrorist organization of Slavic-speaking alien nationals . . ."
The IHF is concerned about the charges brought against these
individuals. A verdict of guilt of the accused on such grounds would put
Greece in the
position of violating its international obligations under the recently
signed "Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities"
of
the Council of Europe, and its commitments undertaken as a member of the
OSCE with regard to freedom of expression and minority rights.
The IHF will send a mission of observation to the trial and will report
to
the international community further about this worrisome case.
__________________________________
The International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF) is a
non-governmental organization which monitors compliance with the human
rights provisions of the Helsinki Final Act and its follow-up documents.
In addition to supporting and providing liaison among 31 Helsinki
committees, the IHF has direct links with human rights activists where
no Helsinki committee exists. It criticizes human rights abuses
regardless of the political system of the state where these abuses
occur.
NATIONAL HELSINKI COMMITTEES IN: Albania - Austria Belarus -
Bosnia-Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Canada - Croatia - Czech Republic -
Denmark Finland - France Germany - Greece - Hungary - Italy -
Kazakhstan - Kosovo - Macedonia - Montenegro - Netherlands Norway -
Poland Romania - Russia - Serbia - Slovakia - Slovenia - Sweden -
Switzerland - United Kingdom - United States.
____________________________________________________________
MOSCOW HELSINKI GROUP
____________________________________________________________
To: The Greek Embassy in the Russian Federation
October 8, 1997
Your Excellency, Mr. Ambassador
The Moscow Helsinki Group categorically protests against the outrageous
persecutions of the leaders of the Rainbow Macedonian minority party in
Greece: Vasilia Romas, Costas Tasopoulos, Petros Vasiliadis, and Pavlos
Voskopoulos. This situation is absolutely unacceptable in a democratic
country. They are all awaiting trial for the "public use of their mother
tongue" on a bilingual sign in their office in Florina.
The Moscow Helsinki Group believes that this action cannot be qualified
as
an initiation of discord among nationalities nor will it lead to the
annihilation of any ethnic groups. On the contrary this trial is a
violation of national equality.
The Moscow Helsinki Group is the oldest human rights organization in
Russia, an initiator of the International Helsinki Human Rights
movement,
and a member of the International Helsinki Federation.
Ludmilla Alexeeva
MHG Chief
Moscow Helsinki Group
Bol.Golovin per.22,build.1
103045 Moscow, Russia
Tel.(095)207-39-13, 207-16-32
Tel/Fax (095)207-60-69, 207-17-94
E-mail: [email protected]
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