Press Releases | Hellenic League for Human Rights

SLAPP Proof: advocacy for freedom of expression and information

Written on 16/04/2024.

The Hellenic League for Human Rights and the investigative journalism group The Manifold announce the launch of the project “SLAPP Proof: Advocacy for Freedom of Expression and Information”.

SLAPP Proof comes in response to one of the main challenges in the rights field: the shrinking right to freedom of expression and information is being challenged by the increasingly widespread practice of SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation). The project aims to develop a framework for protection against SLAPPs that will promote freedom of expression, support public participation and strengthen the rule of law in Greece through information, awareness raising and advocacy for protection against SLAPPs.

Attack in Thessaloniki: yet another violent incident targeting people because of their identity

Written on 16/03/2024.

Athens 15.03.2024 – The Racist Violence Recording Network strongly condemns the violent incident against two LGBTQI+ individuals in Thessaloniki by a large group on Saturday 9 March 2024 and expresses its deep concern about the escalating homophobic and transphobic rhetoric targeting LGBTQI+ people and the impact it might have on their safety and well-being. According to the victims’ testimonies, teenagers and young adults were among the group of alleged perpetrators. Several people were arrested and subsequently charged.

Greece: Rule of Law Threatened

Written on 07/02/2024.

Greece: Rule of Law Threatened
Rights Groups Urge European Commission to Take Action

(Athens, February 6, 2024) – The European Commission should take immediate action to address the deterioration of media freedom and the rule of law in Greece and its impact on fundamental rights, 17 human rights and press freedom organizations said today in a letter to European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.

Threats to the rule of law include an ongoing major surveillance scandal allegedly implicating the government in the targeted hacking of journalists’ devices, government interference with the media, abusive lawsuits against journalists and activists, and an overall unsafe working environment for journalists. Two unresolved murders of journalists in 10 years underscore the risks they face. In addition, under the New Democracy government, the authorities have used the criminal justice system to threaten civil society groups and activists. Registration requirements for nongovernmental groups working on migration and asylum have imposed an unreasonable burden on them.

Greece in institutional decline: Civil society tracks persisting rule of law backsliding

Written on 24/01/2024.

Executive Summary

Defending and strengthening the rule of law in remains a core priority for Greek civil society against the backdrop of ongoing institutional decline in the country.

Independent organisations Vouliwatch, Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), HIAS Greece, Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR) and Reporters United document persisting deficiencies and emerging threats to the rule of law in Greece in their contribution to the European Commission’s annual monitoring of Member States’ systems through its Rule of Law Report.

40 survivors of the Pylos shipwreck file a criminal complaint before the Naval Court of Piraeus

Written on 14/09/2023.

Athens, September 14, 2023: Forty survivors of the deadly shipwreck in Pylos filed yesterday a criminal complaint against all responsible parties before the Naval Court of Piraeus.

The survivors, represented by the Network for Refugee and Migrant Rights, the Hellenic League for Human Rights (HLHR), the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), the Initiative of Lawyers and Jurists for the shipwreck of Pylos, and Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), denounce a series of violations of the Greek authorities’ obligations to protect the lives of those on board and demand an effective investigation into the circumstances of the deadliest shipwreck to occur in the Mediterranean in recent years.

Πόστερ με φωτογραφία του Γιαννη Μπεχρακη που απεικονίζει εναν άνρα με αδιαβροχο να περπαταει στην ασφαλτο κρατωντας στην αγκαλια του ενα παιδι. Το ποστερ λεει Share Dignity.

No monitoring of fundamental rights violations in Greece without independent and effective mechanisms

Written on 21/06/2023.

Athens, June 21, 2023: Greece must guarantee independent and effective monitoring of violations of the human rights of refugees and migrants to restore the rule of law, following the European Commission request to the Greek authorities for an investigation of a push back of refugees by the Hellenic Coast Guard on Lesvos island, documented by the New York Times. The Greek authorities have entrusted the National Transparency Authority (NTA) with the investigation.

Announcement regarding SLAPP lawsuit against a journalist and its partial acceptance by the court

Written on 13/04/2023.

The treatment of investigative journalism as a threat and the vindictive lawsuits and lawsuits against journalists create great concern, not only for the violation of their rights, but above all for the future of press freedom in Greece. Lawsuits against journalists because of their research or criticism of issues of public interest are SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) cases aimed at intimidating as well as morally and financially eliminating the defendant journalists.

Towards Improving Access to Greek Citizenship

Written on 10/04/2023.

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.

GCR and HLHR appeal: safeguard the Rule of Law in Greece

Written on 28/03/2023.

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.

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

Written on 19/12/2022.

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.

Greek Citizenship: A Mythbuster

Written on 04/05/2022.

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.

Category: Press Releases

Member