Identity – History

League’s activities are mainly based on the voluntary contribution of its members. Its resources come mainly from the subscriptions of more than 500 members, donations and funding of activities in the frame of partnerships with other organizations, designed and proposed in accordance with the statutory purposes and ensuring its independence.

Board 

The latest elections for the board of the Hellenic League for Human Rights held on May 2025.

The Board was constituted as follows:

• Chairman: Lefteris Papagiannakis
• A’ vice chairman: Marina Daliani
• B’ vice chairman: Aspa Theochari
• Secretary General: Kostas Gousis
• Treasurer: Eleni Velivasaki
• Deputy Secretary: Danai Maragkoudaki
• Members: Andreas Takis, Kostas Kosmatos, Vasilis Tsigaridas 
• Deputy members: Taygeti Michalakea, Fotini Siehou, Kostas Farmakidis

History

The Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR) is the oldest human rights organization in Greece.The first attempt for its foundation was made in 1918 by G.. Kafantaris, Al. Delmouzos, G. Petsopoulos, and others. The League was set up, originally, in 1936 with Aleksandros Svolos as president and was dissolved by the dictatorship of the 4th of August. It was reinstituted in 1953. Except from Aleksandros Svolos, other important figures took on the role of presidency within the organization, such as I. Tsirimokos, Str. Someritis, Agni Rousopoulou, Dimitris Kallitsounakis, Thaleia Kolyva.

The dictatorship of 1967 dissolved HLRH. Faidon Velgeris was one of the main witnesses against the Greek government in the infamous “Greek case” at the Council of Europe. This process created an important precedent: Greece was the only state that has ever been evicted from the Council of Europe for systematic violation of human rights. The League during this period was particularly active in Paris, as it was outlawed in Greece, and after the fall of the junta (1974), it was set up again in Greece. According to its statute, the League “undertakes activities in the domain of dissemination, advocacy and development of principles that reckon to humans integrated to social structures, rights and freedoms”.

For a detailed review of the League’s history, see the article “The history and interventions of the Hellenic League for Human Rights (1918-2013)” (Michalis Moraitidis, PhD in Contemporary History)

Since cease of dictatorship, in the Board of Directors, many people have been active, among others, Phaedon Vegleris, Aristovoulos Manesis, John Souriadakis Nikos Frangakis, Nikos Alivizatos, Chrysa Hatzis, John Ktistakis Yannis Ioannidis Michalis Tsapogas, Cleo Papapantoleon, Kostis Papaioannou, Dimitris Sarafianos, Nikos Paraskevopoulos, Dimitris Christopoulos, Konstantinos Tsitselikis.

The theoretical processing of contemporary data and the status of the rights at national or international level, the prevention of violations with daily vigilance and intervention for the protection of victims, are the primary tools that the non governmental sector can provide as a contribution to the restriction of human rights violations.

The means through which the goals of the League are achieved include the study of  problems citizens are facing, at individual and/or collective level, the elaboration and submission of proposals for their solutions, the provision of legal assistance, public awareness raising and deepening of public dialogue on human rights, through the organization of public presentations, conferences, publications, and other means that are deemed appropriate under the circumstances.

To maximize the achievement of its goals, the League envisages the cooperation with other national or international bodies active in the field of human rights (human rights organizations, Greek Ombudsman, National Commission for human rights, and international organizations, Council of Europe, UN). 

Areas of intervention

• Migration and asylum in Greece and the European Union
• Minority rights
• State–church relations and the state of religious freedom in Greece
• Access to Greek citizenship and the rationalisation of naturalisation procedures
• Racist violence and hate speech
• Freedom of expression and press freedom
• Police abuse and impunity
• Justice and the penitentiary system

Previous Projects – indicatevely

• Appealing to the European Court of Human Rights in cases with critical interest [Safi and Others v Greece (5418/15), Nisiotis group of cases (34704/08)].
• Partner of the Project CONTACT (Creating an Online Network, monitoring Team and phone App to Counter hate Crime Tactics).
• GoldenDawnWatch – an initiative to monitor the trial against Golden Dawn.
• Participation in the research project TOCSIN (Teacher suppΟrt Confronting Social INequalities), study of consequences of financial crisis at school, in cooperation with UoA, UoM (funded by EOX).
• Partner in the Project REACT (Refugee, Assistance, Collaboration, Thessaloniki), providing legal advice to refugees staying at hosting structures of Thessaloniki, Neapolis-Sykies and Kalamaria, in cooperation with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Municipality of Thessaloniki, ARSIS, Praksis, GCR, XANΘ (funded by UNHCR).
• Sophism 
• Citizenship in Practice
• Legal aid Watch – The project recorded and captured the issues which arise in practice during the application of legal aid in criminal trials. 
• A New Gender Era
• Police Brutality and Fundamental Rights: An overview of police arbitrariness in Greece
• SLAPPs and eco-SLAPPs

Participation in national, European and international bodies and networks

• Participation in the National Commission of Human Rights (GNCHR)
• Participation in the Council of Migrants’ Integration of the Municipality of Athens 
• Participation in the Racist Violence Recording Network under the coordination of the National Commission of Human Rights and the UNHCR 
• Participation in the Recording Mechanism of Informal Forced Returns, a synergy between the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) and civil society organizations
• Participation in all activities of the International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH)

Other activities of HLHR is the Radio show in Athina 984 radio. 

HLHR undertakes regular public interventions with press releases, press conferences, documentation texts, memos legislative proposals and reports.