The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) of the Council of Europe published its 6th country report on Greece on 22 September 2022.
ECRI’s 6th Country report, prepared after its visit to Greece in November 2021, includes developments in Greece up to March 2022. The report examines Greece under the three common pillars applicable to all Member States in the 6th cycle: effective equality and access to rights, hate speech and motivated violence, and integration and inclusion.
Noting in its report that Greece’s national action plan against racism and intolerance, adopted in 2020, is a positive step, but that its recommendation on the issue in its previous report published in 2014 has been partially implemented, ECRI expresses concern about ongoing inequalities and racism in policing activities.
ECRI report indicates that the Ombudsman which represents the equality body in Greece, still lacks the competence to provide legal representation in court to victims of discrimination or intolerance, to pursue strategic cases or to take cases to the courts, further noting that hate speech frequently seen in the country sometimes stems from the politicians and even state officials.
Furthermore, the report notes that according to statistics collected by the Greek Police, there were 51 cases of hate speech in 2020, 34 of which took place online, explaining that there is little systematic gathering of data on hate speech in Greece. ECRI recommends that Greece establish a comprehensive monitoring system for hate speech incidents, including online, accompanied by public awareness campaigns.
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) actively participated in the preparation process of the 6th country report on Greece in 2021. In its written statement addressed to ECRI with respect to discrimination, racism and hate speech against the Turkish community in Western Thrace in Greece, ABTTF indicated that as part of ECRI’s visit to Greece in November 2021, it participated in a meeting with civil society in Athens where it realised a presentation on the current and chronic problems of the Turkish community in Western Thrace under the headings of denial of Turkish identity, freedom of association, freedom of religion, education and hate speech/hate-based attacks.
