AN EPILOGUE TO ORHAN HATZIIBRAHM

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: office@greekhelsinki.gr      http://www.greekhelsinki.gr/

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

10/4/1998

 

TOPIC: AN EPILOGUE TO ORHAN HATZIIBRAHM

 

Due to the latest announcement of Orhan Hatziibrahm (3/4/98), the cooperating organizations Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority Rights Group - Greece, repeat their declaration of 31/3/98 that they do not wish to be associated with this person anymore. We believe that the only texts that represent the views of our organizations are the Press Releases of 19/3, 31/3 and 10/4. Whatever else has been written or said does in no way represent our views.

 

We are obliged to inform the public, without comment, that the competent American Embassy in Athens assured us - what is already generally known - that the first report of the State Department about human rights, known as The Carter Report, was published in 1979. Its text, which is at our disposal, does not include any reference to any eventual violations of the human rights of the Turkish minority.

 

Consequently, it would have been impossible for Orhan Hatziibrahm to be degraded from his office as a deputy in 1978 for allegedly refusing to sign a parliamentary question of PASOK concerning The Carter Report as it was not published until the following year.

 

 

GAPS IN LEGISLATION CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

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: office@greekhelsinki.gr      http://www.greekhelsinki.gr/

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

10/4/1998

 

TOPIC: GAPS IN LEGISLATION CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS

 

The cooperating organizations Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority Rights Group - Greece note that the legalization of conscientious objectors is creating unexpected serious problems in practice. Unfortunately, the new legislation does not include a clear provision for the suspension of the legal power of the pending warrants for arrest of several conscientious objectors. Thus these people are in danger of imprisonment, without  due cause, until the final decision is taken which grants them the status of CO.

 

Despite the legal recognition in Greece of conscientious objection, the COs face the painful possibility of arrest, even if they declare their willingness to serve alternative civilian service and to produce all the necessary documents required by law. It is obvious that this unexpected outcome will dissuade many COs from submitting themselves to the settlement of alternative service, which constituted a first positive step towards the adjustment of our country to international standards.

 

Our organizations believe that it is necessary for the government to amend the law to include a new provision. This should state that the administrative interruption of subordination at the competent recruiting office is sufficient for the acceptance of the submission of the documents, without the need of an interruption of subordination in front of a judicial investigating authority - as is currently the case with COs.

 

Finally, our organizations ask for a suspension of the legal power of the warrants for the whole period, that is until the date at which alternative service begins for those who are interested, so that nothing would endanger a CO who wished to submit to the new status.