ERRC Press Release: Police Abuse in Greece

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Date: Sat, 24 Nov 2001 08:45:43 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: ERRC Press Release: Police Abuse in Greece

From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>

Original sender: European Roma Rights Center <[email protected]>

ERRC Press Release: Police Abuse in Greece


On November 19, 2001, the ERRC sent a letter to Greek Minister of
Justice Mr Philipos Petsalnikos to express concern at the killing by
police officers of a 21-year-old Romani man named Marinos
Christopoulos in Zefyri, in the Attica region of Greece. In its
letter, the ERRC calls upon Minister Petsalnikos to ensure that a
thorough and impartial investigation is carried out into the shooting
death of Mr Christopoulos; that any and all persons guilty of crimes
in connection with this case are prosecuted to the fullest extent of
the law; and that any and all harmed parties receive due just remedy,
including all relevant damages. Insofar as the killing of Mr
Christopoulos, and the issue of police abuse of Roma in Greece more
broadly, are issues of deep public concern, the ERRC further urges
that justice in this case comprise a public component such as, for
example:

� explicit recognition by high ranking Greek officials that police
abuse of Roma is a serious problem in Greece;
� comprehensive public review of policing issues as they relate to the
Romani community;
� and possibly a plan of action to combat police abuse of Roma.

Information on the situation of Roma in Greece is available on the
Internet at: http://errc.org/publications/indices/greece.shtml. The
text of the ERRC letter to Minister Petsalnikos follows below. For the
purposes of this press release, the ERRC has altered the text of the
letter to conceal the identity of the alleged perpetrator. His full
name is however provided in the ERRC letter.


Honourable Mr Petsalnikos,

The European Roma Rights Center (ERRC), an international public
interest law organisation which monitors the human rights situation of
Roma and provides legal defence in cases of human rights abuse, is
concerned about the reported killing of a Romani man by a police
officer in Greece.

The ERRC has received information that on October 24, 2001, at
approximately 10 PM, a 21-year-old Romani man named Marinos
Christopoulos was shot dead by Emergency Squad Police Officer G.T. in
Zefyri, in the region of Attica, during a routine police check. 
According to a press release issued on October 25, 2001, by the
General Police Directorate of Attica, Mr Christopoulos was fatally
wounded when he refused to pull over at a road block and, according to
police, allegedly accelerated his car in the direction of the three
officers at the scene.  According to the police press release, Officer
G.T. fired a gunshot which struck the upper left side of the
windshield once, on the driver's side of the vehicle driven by Mr
Christopoulos.  After the shot was fired, Mr Christopoulos's vehicle
crashed into a hydroelectric pole.  Mr Christopoulos reportedly died
at the scene of the shooting.

The Greek Helsinki Monitor, an ERRC partner organisation in Greece
has, however, received information that according to a forensic
medical report on the victim, the fatal shot was to the back of the
victim's head, and therefore could not have entered through the front
windshield.  This points to the possibility that Officer G.T. used his
firearm after the car driven by Mr Christopoulos had passed the police
officers. Indeed, it appears that Greek police investigators may share
this opinion, as Officer G.T. has reportedly been charged with
homicide in connection with the incident.

The ERRC notes that the abusive use of force resulting in death
contravenes Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and
Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
both of which guarantee the right to life. In the killing of Mr
Christopoulos, Officer G.T. may have additionally acted outside the
boundaries set by the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and
Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, which state that "law
enforcement officials shall not use firearms against persons except in
self-defence or defence of others against the imminent threat of death
or serious injury [...]." Article 13 of the European Convention on
Human Rights, further states: "Everyone whose rights and freedoms as
set forth in this Convention are violated shall have an effective
remedy before a national authority notwithstanding that the violation
has been committed by persons acting in an official capacity."

Honourable Mr Philipos Petsalnikos, the ERRC commends Greek
authorities for charging Emergency Squad Police Officer G.T. in
connection with the fatal shooting of Mr Marinos Christopoulos. The
ERRC calls upon your office to ensure that a thorough and impartial
investigation is carried out into the shooting death of Mr Marinos
Christopoulos; that any and all persons guilty of crimes in connection
with this case are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law; and
that any and all harmed parties receive due just remedy, including all
relevant damages. Insofar as the killing of Mr Christopoulos, and the
issue of police abuse of Roma in Greece more broadly, are issues of
deep public concern, the ERRC further urges that justice in this case
comprise a public component such as, for example:
� explicit recognition by high ranking Greek officials that police
abuse of Roma is a serious problem in Greece;
� comprehensive public review of policing issues as they relate to the
Romani community;
� and possibly a plan of action to combat police abuse of Roma.

We respectfully request to be informed of the results of any actions
taken by your office in connection to this case.

Sincerely,
Dimitrina Petrova
Executive Director

Persons wishing to express similar concerns are urged to contact:

Mr Philipos Petsalnikos
Minister of Justice of Greece
Mesogeion 96
Athens 115 27
Greece

Fax: +30-1-7755835

_____________________________________________

The European Roma Rights Center is an international public interest
law organisation which monitors the rights of Roma and provides legal
defence in cases of human rights abuse. For more information about the
European Roma Rights Center, visit the ERRC on the web at
http://www.errc.org

European Roma Rights Center
1386 Budapest 62
P.O. Box 906/93
Hungary

Phone: +36 1 4132200
Fax:   +36 1 4132201

_____________________________________________

SUPPORT THE ERRC!

The European Roma Rights Center is dependent upon the generosity of
individual donors for its continued existence. If you believe the ERRC
performs a service valuable to the public, please join in enabling its
future with a contribution. Gifts of all sizes are welcome; bank
transfers are preferred. Please send your contribution to:

European Roma Rights Center
Budapest Bank Rt.
99P00402686
1054 Budapest
Bathory utca 1
Hungary

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