The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee published its concluding observations on the 3rd periodic country report submitted by Greece, which it examined at its 142nd session held in Geneva, Switzerland, on 14 October-7 November 2024.
In its concluding observations, which include recommendations for Greece as a party to the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Committee welcomes the fact that the Greek Constitution provides for the direct applicability of the Covenant in domestic law but regrets the lack of information on measures taken to raise public awareness of the Covenant.
The Committee is gravely concerned about the multiple of reports of push backs in violation of the principle of non-refoulement at Greece’s sea and land borders and recommends that Greece cease the practice of arbitrary and collective expulsions of aliens attributed to it, establish effective safeguards to prevent coercion in processes of voluntary return and conduct objective individualised assessments of the level of protection available in safe third countries.
The Committee remains concerned about reports that local officials have launched strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to suppress critical news and to put financial and psychological pressure on journalists, noting that Greece should take all necessary measures to guarantee the full exercise of the right to freedom of expression by everyone in accordance with Article 19 of the Convention and fully implement the recommendation of the European Commission on the protection of journalists against SLAPPs.
The Committee recommends that Greece take all necessary steps to guarantee, in law and in practice, the effective exercise of the right to freedom of association and to ensure that any restrictions imposed are in strict compliance with article 22 of the Covenant.
While welcoming Greece’s recognition of the Muslim minority in the region of Thrace, the Committee expresses concern at the insufficient guarantees for the equal and effective enjoyment of one’s culture, profession and practice of one’s religion and use of one’s language by all persons, including those claiming to belong to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities. The Committee recommends that Greece ensure that all persons belonging to ethnic, religious or linguistic minorities in the country are effectively protected against any form of discrimination and can fully enjoy their rights under the Covenant, including under Article 27.
The Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), which has a special consultative status in the UN Economic and Social Council participated online in the 142nd session of the UN Human Rights Committee, which examines the compliance of the states parties to the Covenant, and followed the meetings on 21-22 October where Greece was examined. Prior to the session, ABTTF prepared a report on the 3rd periodic country report submitted by Greece to the Committee and submitted its report to the Committee in detail on the issues concerning the ethnic Turkish identity of the Turkish community in Western Thrace, education, freedom of association, freedom of religion, political representation and hate speech against the Turkish community.
Please click below for the concluding observations of the UN Human Rights Committee on Greece: https://tbinternet.ohchr.org/_layouts/15/treatybodyexternal/Download.aspx?symbolno=CCPR%2FC%2FGRC%2FCO%2F3&Lang=en
