GREEK PASTORS ACQUITTED, DISCRIMINATORY LAWS UPHELD Hellenic Human Rights Watch
On Behalf of the Greek Evangelical Alliance
Urgent News Release: 12 December 2000
THESSALONIKI, GREECE (HHRW)?In the culmination of a three-year legal battle for Greek minority groups, the Thessaloniki District Court handed down its verdict today in the high-profile Thessaloniki v. Sidiropoulos case. While acquitting the eleven evangelical congregations (and five other minority churches) of any violations, the court shied away from making any precedent-setting statements about the controversial law at stake in the case.
First enacted during the authoritarian regime of dictator John Metaxas, the law requires that all Greek minority churches obtain their operating license from the local Orthodox bishop. In a completely unexpected move, the district attorney called on the presiding judge to support a "long-overdue modernization of the law," one that "would harmonize local code with the spirit and decisions of the European Convention on Human Rights."
"When we hear the district attorney himself demanding such a statement, we expect nothing less than the court?s immediate action," noted lead defense attorney Vassilis Tsirbas in his remarks to the Greek press. "Don?t mistake the acquittal of these pastors for a victory," he said. "That Greek minorities are forced to submit to the ecclesiastical (and by extension, civil) authority of the Orthodox Church constitutes a human rights violation of the highest order."
For further information (including photographs), or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Johnathan Macris
Hellenic Human Rights Watch
Tel. (211) 301 777.9845
Fax (211) 301 748.4358
Mobile (211) 3094 523.6554
E-mail: hhrw@hmnet.org.gr
A note from the Greek Evangelical Alliance: Though this particular legal battle is over, we must continue our efforts to abolish this oppressive law. While Greeks in general enjoy religious freedom, our brothers and sisters continue to be taken to court and harassed under the current regulations. If you?d like to join in the movement to eliminate legal discrimination against Greek evangelicals, please address your concerns about laws 1363/38 and 1672/39 to the following government officials, or directly to us and we will forward them to the appropriate persons:
Costas Simitis
Prime Minister of Greece
E-mail: mail@primeminister.gr
Fax: (211) 301 323.8129
Peter Efthimiou
Minister of Education and Religious Affairs
E-mail: edu_ref@ypepth.gr
Fax: (211) 301 323.3787
Michael Stathopoulos
Minister of Justice
E-mail: minjust1@otenet.gr
Fax: (211) 301 775.8742
(If you use e-mail, please send a copy of your letter to hhrw@hmnet.org.gr .)
Or for more information about the case, please contact the Greek Evangelical Alliance:
Fotis Romeos, GEA General Secretary
Tel. (211) 301 483.4001
Fax: (211) 301.483.4000
Mobile: (211) 3094 444.3343
E-mail: amglogos@hol.gr
Hellenic Human Rights Watch
12 Lydias St.
Athens 115 27
Greece
Tel. (211) 301 777.9845
Fax (211) 301 748.4358
hhrw@hmnet.org.gr
EVANGELICAL GROUPS IN GREECE UNDER FIRE Case reported by the Greek Evangelical Alliance
Urgent News Release: 30 November 2000
ATHENS, GREECE (HHRW)?In just over two weeks, eleven evangelical congregations in Thessaloniki will appear before a local judge to defend their right to publicly exercise their religion. The Dec. 12th court case, a critical one for judicial precedent in this country, will determine the legitimacy of a series of accusations brought against the churches nearly three years ago.
In the court summons delivered to the church leaders, local police accuse the groups of violating a 70-year-old law established during the dictatorial regime of John Metaxas. Mandating that all churches obtain permits from local Orthodox church authorities, the law effectively precludes minority groups from exercising their constitutional freedoms. As one HHRW commentator put it, "Asking the Greek Orthodox church to regulate minority religions is equivalent to putting a fox in charge of the chicken coop."
Following in the wake of a heated national debate surrounding the removal of religion from European identity cards, this case is crucial in the road toward increased freedom for evangelicals in Greece. Church-state relations have never been more strained, and as Greece progresses toward a fuller role in the European Union, it is imperative that the rights of all minorities?including evangelicals?be protected.
Quick Facts:
Sixteen churches are accused in all, including 11 evangelical, 2 charismatic Orthodox, and 1 Roman Catholic church.
Among the accused is the Presbyterian Church of Thessaloniki, which has been operating for over a century in the city.
Though the local Orthodox bishop refused to issue permits, each of the churches had obtained a "house of prayer" license from the federal Ministry of Education and Religion when they were first established.
Greece is in the midst of revising its constitution, and minority groups hope that with sufficient international pressure, this discriminatory law will be removed from the revised constitution.
If this is something you're concerned about, and would like to help support our Greek brothers and sisters eliminate this law (1363/38), please contact the following people to protest the discriminatory action of the Greek government. More important than winning this particular court case is abolishing the law itself, and we urge you to respond by Dec. 12th, 2000.
Costas Simitis
Prime Minister of Greece
Irodou Attikou 19
10674 Athens
Greece
E-mail: mail@primeminister.gr
Fax: 011.301.323.8129
Peter Efthimiou
Minister of Education and Religious Affairs
Office of the General Secretariat
Mitropoleos 15
15678 Athens
Greece
Fax: 0030 1 3233 787
E-mail: edu_ref@ypepth.gr
Or for more information about the case, please contact the Greek Evangelical Alliance:
Fotis Romeos, GEA General Secretary
Tel: 011.301.483.4001
Fax: 011.301.483.4000
Mobile: 011.3094.444.3343
E-mail: amglogos@hol.gr
European Court Finds Greek Government Guilty of Human Rights Violations For Immediate Release: 2 March 1998
For interviews, contact Johnathan Macris in Greece: +01-77-79-845.
ATHENS, GREECE?In a landmark victory for Greek religious minorities, the European Court of Human Rights fined the Greek government one million drachmas for violating the right to free exercise of religion of three Protestant Air Force officers.
In its judgment delivered last week, the Strasbourg Court found the Greek state guilty of violating Article 9 of the European Convention of Human Rights in its application of the Greek anti-proselytism law. The law was not itself declared incompatible with the Convention, but Judge DeMeyer asserted in his concurring opinion, ?The law in issue in the present case is contrary to the Convention in its very principle, since it directly encroaches on the very essence of the freedom everyone must have to manifest his religion.?
Officers Larissis, Mandalarides, and Sarandis, all members of a minority evangelical group, had been previously convicted of unlawful proselytism by Greek military and appellate courts. The European Human Rights Commission brought the officers? case before the Court in September of last year, arguing that the Greek laws had been unfairly applied to protect the interests of the official state church.
While upholding the necessity of certain protective measures within the military, the Court decried the Greek government?s restrictions on civilian evangelism as being ?couched in vague terms? and ?without guarantee of equality of treatment.? Noting that this was the first case involving evangelicals to come before the European Court, British law professor, barrister, and theologian John Warwick Montgomery, who served as leading counsel and argued the case before the Court, called it ?a historic victory.?
Persecution of Evangelicals at IAAF Games in Athens For Immediate Release: 10 August 1997
For interviews, contact Johnathan Macris in Greece: +01-77-79-845.
OLYMPIC STADIUM, ATHENS?As Greek organizers celebrated the close of the 6 th International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) Track and Field competition today, minority evangelical Christians appealed to Athens ?97 officials for a stop to the religious harassment that has taken place over the last week. Representatives of the international organization More than Gold (MTG) have been persecuted relentlessly over the course of the games for attempting to spread the message of the gospel.
After securing a booth at the Market Street venue of the Olympic stadium several months ago, MTG requested and obtained approval from IAAF officials for a leaflet they planned to distribute. The group printed 150,000 leaflets with an event schedule, stories of Christian athletes, and an official advertisement for the Athens ?97 games. Along with the booth and the literature, MTG booked a concert with the Seattle music group Scarlet Journey . IAAF officials promised both a stage for the performance and a listing in the official program of the games.
During the first two days of the games the MTG booth operated without any problem, but on August 3, police unexpectedly stormed the booth and forced all volunteer workers off the Olympic stadium premises. When the shaken volunteers asked for an explanation for the action, the police stated that they were simply following orders. From that point on, leaders from the group were endlessly harassed, pushed, and even followed home by plainclothes police.
When a local human rights group realized what had taken place, they were understandably outraged, and they agreed to host the literature in their own booth. Police continued to harass the volunteers as they passed out leaflets, again forcing them off the premises and following them to a nearby train station, where more than fifty officers physically roughed the evangelicals without providing an explanation or even identifying themselves when asked to do so.
The apex of the persecution came on Thursday, August 7, when Scarlet Journey was scheduled to perform. The group was to have followed a brief appearance by Greek pop star Anna Vissi, but was ordered instead to leave the stage?a move that confused and angered many in the crowd of several thousand that had gathered for the performance. When spectators realized that the group was being censored for their beliefs, they became irate, and demanded that officials allow the Scarlet Journey to perform. In the end, police insisted that the American group leave, despite appeals by MTG representative Johnathan Macris. Commented Macris, ?The Greek Orthodox Church has tremendous influence in keeping evangelical Christians from sharing their faith in Jesus Christ with the people of Greece, despite the fact that Greece takes great pride in calling itself a Christian nation. This is a sad commentary for our country which boasts a heritage of tolerance and free expression.?
