Greece Communications: May 1, 2011 to February 28, 2017

This page summarizes cases raised with Greece by the Special Rapporteur between May 1, 2011, (when the Special Rapporteur took up his functions) and February 28, 2017 (the date of the last public release of communications). Communications are released to the public once per year. This page also contains observations on these communications and on responses received from Greece.

Communications and observations are divided into sections based upon which observation report they originally appeared.

Each communication is referenced as urgent appeal (UA), allegation letter (AL), joint urgent appeal (JUA) and joint allegation letter (JAL) – the hyperlinks lead to these documents. This is followed by the date the communication was issued, as well as the case number and the State reply (also hyperlinked if available).

Summaries and communications are published only in the language of submission (in the case of Greece, English).

First Report (May 1, 2011 to March 15, 2012)

None

Second Report (March 16, 2012 to February 28, 2013)

Joint allegation letter, 21/12/2012. Case no. GRC 3/2012. State Reply: 04/03/2013. Alleged arbitrary refusal to revoke decisions denying grant registration to groups defending minority rights.

Observations
The Special Rapporteur wishes to thank the Government of Greece for its response to his communication.

The Special Rapporteur notes that, according to the reply transmitted by the Government of Greece, the implementation of several decisions of the European Court on Human Rights, which has found violation of the right to freedom of association, “is pending, due to procedural reasons, not related to the statute or the activities of any particular association”. He further takes positive note that the “authorities are currently considering appropriate ways and means to implement the abovementioned judgements, including possible legislative adjustements”. He urges the aurhorities to secure the rights to freedom of association and of peaceful assembly for all, whithout discrimination of any kind. He requests the Government to keep him informed about the evolution of the different cases raised in his communication dated 21/12/2012, including about the ability for members to freely choose a name for their associations.

The Special Rapporteur refers to Human Rights Council resolution 21/16, and in particular operative paragraph 1 that “[r]eminds States of their obligation to respect and fully protect the rights of all individuals to assemble peacefully and associate freely, online as well as offline, including in the context of elections, and including persons espousing minority or dissenting views or beliefs, human rights defenders, trade unionists and others, including migrants, seeking to exercise or to promote these rights, and to take all necessary measures to ensure that any restrictions on the free exercise of the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association are in accordance with their obligations under international human rights law”.