Press Releases

After two years of continuous research, recording and substantial interventions in the process of granting citizenship in our country, we are publishing our final report. The text Towards Improving Access to Greek Citizenship attempts to include all the experience of monitoring the new naturalization system as a whole and synthesize the conclusions drawn from the individual actions of the project during the past two years.

Athens, 28 March 2023: On 17 March, the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) and the Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR) sent a joint letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, the UN Special Rapporteur on the rights of migrants, the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe and the European Commissioner for Migration and Home Affairs.

PRESS RELEASE

THE ATTEMPT TO SILENCE HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS CONTINUES. WHAT REMAINS TO BE DECIDED ARE ITS ACCOMPANYING MEASURES

Athens, 21/12/2022

On Tuesday, 20.12.2022, the interrogation of Panayote Dimitras took place, following criminal charges brought against him for “setting up a criminal organisation with the purpose of facilitating the illegal entry and stay in Greece of third country nationals”. Following the conclusion of the interrogation, the Investigating Magistrate and the Prosecutor agreed on imposing a prohibition on involvement with the Greek Helsinki Monitor, a civil society organisation of which he is a founding and core member since 1993, while they disagreed on the remaining measures that will be accompanying this prohibition. These are to be decided by the competent Judicial Council.

PRESS RELEASE

WITCH-HUNT AGAINST DEFENDERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN COMPLETE REVERSAL OF REALITY

Athens, 19 December 2022

European and international human rights monitoring bodies record systematic and continuous complaints regarding pushbacks (which are always illegal) of refugees at Greece’s borders. These complaints have become commonplace[1]; yet, instead of being investigated, the people and the organisations who denounce them and address the competent bodies are themselves targeted and accused of criminal charges.

Is there a difference between Citizenship and Nationality? Is everyone born in Greece automatically entitled to Greek citizenship or must they meet more conditions? Do they receive a national ID within a few months? And what about honorary naturalizations? How easy is it to become a Greek after all?

How much do we really know about Greek citizenship?

The publication “Greek Citizenship: A Mythbuster” aims to fill the information gap and the lack of meaningful dialogue on an issue that concerns us all: citizenship.

Hellenic League of Human Rights along with 11 civil society organizations and independent media addressed a letter to the Vice-President and Commissioner for Values and Transparency,  Vera Jourova and the member of LIBE committee of the european parliament, to express our serious concerns with regards to the continuous deterioration of the state of the Rule of Law in Greece.

Με επιστολή τους της 27ης Απριλίου 2021 προς την Ευρωπαία Επίτροπο Εσωτερικών Υποθέσεων, Ylva Johansson, πέντε οργανώσεις της κοινωνίας των πολιτών αιτούνται από την Επιτροπή την εκτίμησή της ως προς τη συμμόρφωση της Ελλάδας με τις διαδικαστικές υποχρεώσεις της σχετικά με την αρχή της μη επαναπροώθησης και την υποχρέωση παροχής πρόσβασης στο άσυλο στα χερσαία και θαλάσσια σύνορα.

Μια δομή που αποτελεί εδώ και χρόνια σύμβολο ανθρωπιάς και αλληλεγγύης αναγκάζεται να κλείσει σήμερα.

The trial of the Golden Dawn case is going to be completed soon, after a lengthy process of almost six years, while the Court has ruled unanimously that Golden Dawn was set up and operated as a criminal organization and found guilty the majority of those accused of a number of criminal acts.

Η Βουλή των Ελλήνων πρέπει να ξεκινήσει κατεπείγουσα έρευνα για όλους τους ισχυρισμούς που αφορούν παράνομες επιστροφές μεταναστών στην Τουρκία από τα ελληνικά σώματα επιβολής του νόμου και άλλα άτομα

Respect for Human Rights should Prevail over Use of Force

Following yesterday’s fire in Moria, on Lesvos, which destroyed the Reception and Identification Centre, 31 civil society organizations call on the Greek Government to immediately provide assistance to people who lost their shelter. Those affected, among them many children and at-risk groups, must be carefully transferred to safety on the mainland.