EIN Concerned by Further Persecution of Panayote Dimitras

In 2021, migrants contacted the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) concerning their arrival in Greece and their wish to apply to asylum. GHM co-founder and spokesperson Panayote Dimitras alerted the Hellenic Police, the Coast Guard, the Greek migration authorities, the UN Refugee Agency in Greece and the Greek Ombudsman about the arrival of migrant individuals in two Greek islands. 

Following these events, in October 2022, the Greek newspaper Kathimerini, published an article entitled “The Turkish coast guard and the activist: Trafficking ring with Greek connections”, alleging the involvement of human rights defenders in migrant trafficking into Greek Islands, indirectly referring to Mr. Dimitras as “the head of a human rights NGO” or “Greek head of the NGO”, as well as to human rights activist Tommy Olsen of Aegean Boat Report, and to criminal investigations filed against them on charges of “facilitating the entry of third country nationals into Greek territory".

At the end of 2022, Mr. Dimitras was summoned to appear before an investigating judge in connection with the following charges: a) forming and joining a criminal organization, b) facilitation by two or more [persons] of the entry into Greek territory of a citizen of a third country for profit and by profession concurrently and c) facilitation of illegal residence of a citizen of a third country for profit consecutively.  Furthermore, the prosecution has now proposed a restraining order which includes a ban to work for the Greek Helsinki Monitor in general, house arrest or ban to leave the country accompanied with bi-monthly presence at police station and a caution of 10,000 euros.

EIN expresses grave concern in relation to these renewed judicial measures taken against Mr. Dimitras, and with regard to the criminalisation of legitimate human rights work on the rights of migrants in Greece.