Mr Kostas Simitis
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
Greek Parliament Bldg.,
Constitution Square
Athens
Greece
Fax: 301-671-6183
Geneva, Paris, 19th July 2000
Dear Prime Minister,
The Observatory is gravely concerned by
reports from the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) and Minority Rights Group – Greece, of the
harassment of human rights defender, Mrs. Aysel Zeybek, member of both GHM and
Minority Rights Group – Greece, at the Greek-Turkish border and by the fact that this
case has been closed by the Ombudsman, following Mrs. Zeybek’s complaint of 15th
December 1999. According to the information received, the Ombudsman recognised that the
interrogation by the National Information Service, to which Mrs. Zeybek was subjected,
falls within the context of the responsibilities of the National Information Service.
According to the information received, on
8th December 1999, as she returned to Greece on a bus from Istanbul, at around 2:30am at
the Greek Turkish border, she was singled out and approached by a man in plain clothes who
demanded to inspect her baggage. None of the other passengers were requested to do the
same. Zeybek disembarked from the bus and identified her 3 suitcases, which were then
inspected by the persons in plain clothes, rather than uniformed customs officials. Her
shoulder bag, containing personal items, was searched and she was asked questions
regarding the contents of her address book and her press card from the newspaper
“Express”.
When Mrs. Zeybek asked as to the reason for
this examination and three-hour deal, she was informed that “Here, the organization
[Greek-Helsinki Monitor] doesn’t represent you and you don’t represent your
organization or anyone else. We do whatever we want here, and we control everything.”
Furthermore, when a customs official, who recognized Mrs. Zeybek, came to her defence, the
plain clothed man took the official aside and argued with him. Following this, the customs
official then asked her what organisation she belonged to and if she was fighting for the
rights of Thrace Turks.
In a letter from the Deputy Ombudsman,
Yorgos Kaminis, dated 9th June 2000, Mrs. Zeybek was informed that “the inspection you
underwent…falls within the context of responsibilities of the National Information
Service.” Furthermore, that “in view of the provisions of article 3 paragraph 1 of Law
2477/1997, according to which “the National Information Service is not among the
responsibilities of the Ombudsman”, I am obliged to halt the further investigation of
your case and to shelve your report.”
The Observatory is gravely concerned by the
manner in which this complaint has been dealt with, and moreover, and by the methods used
against Mrs. Zeybek which are contrary to Greece’s obligations to international human
rights instruments.
As such, the Observatory demands that the
authorities carry out a full and impartial investigation into these events in order to
identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or
administrative sanctions as provided by law. More generally, ensure respect of the
provisions of the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders adopted by the General Assembly of
the United Nations on December 9th 1998 ("Declaration on the Rights and
Responsibility of individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect
Universally Recognized Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms ") and more particularly
Article 1 which states that “Everyone has the right, individually and in association
with others, to promote and to strive for the protection and realization of human rights
and fundamental freedoms at the national and international levels.”
Thank you for your kind attention to this
matter.
Yours sincerely,
Eric Sottas
Director
OMCT
(ORGANISATION MONDIALE CONTRE LA TORTURE)
Patrick Baudouin
President
FIDH
(FEDERATION INTERNATIONALE DES LIGUES DES DROITS DE L’ HOMME)
