News & Updates
Intervention on Statelessness at OSCE Review Conference
At the 1999 OSCE Review Conference, the Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority Rights Group-Greece made an intervention regarding the situation of stateless persons in Greece: The two NGOs welcomed the 1998 abolition of article 19 of the Greek Citizenship Code (Law 3370 of 1955) which provided that a "person of ...
Press Release
Response to GHM/IFEX Appeal: Greek journalists beaten by mayor who walks free despite charges
The Macedonian Human Rights Movement of Canada condemns the recent attack against two journalists, ombudsman representatives and Jehovah's Witnesses in Cassandra, Halkidiki (northern Greece). A mob, led by mayor Costas Papayannis, tried to prevent local Jehovah's Witnesses from starting construction of their house of worship, work authorized by the authorities.
Another Greek Deputy Requests Ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities
On 30/7/1999, with a second question to the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I requested that Parliament discusses and ratifies the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. The Framework Convention entered into force on 1/2/1998 and Greece has already signed it. The Minister of Foreign Affairs in his written ...
Greece's Turks and Macedonians Deny Having Autonomist or Secessionist Claims
Statement of the Deputies Birol Akifoglu and Galip Galip Xanthi and Komotini 11 October 1999 During our meeting in Athens, on 8 October, with the OSCE High Commissionner on National Minorities Max van der Stoel, we reiterated the minority's long-standing firm position that: we demand the respect of all minority ...
Report on Greece to the 1999 OSCE Implementation Meeting
Minority rights Introduction Greece is the only Southeast European country that does not recognize the presence of any national minorities on its territory. Turks are recognized as a mere "religious, Muslim” minority (which nevertheless is educated in Turkish), while Macedonians are not considered even a linguistic minority.
IHF: Letter to Greek PM on MFA and National Minorities
H.E. Costas Simitis Prime Minister, Athens in care of the Embassy of Greece, Vienna Vienna, 20 August 1999 OPEN LETTER Dear Mr. Simitis, I am writing on behalf of the International Helsinki Federation for Human Rights (IHF), which represents human rights monitoring groups in 37 countries in the OSCE ...
Pirin Macedonia: Ethnic Macedonian Commemoration Hindered
On 29 July 1999, the mayor in Petrich prohibited the United Macedonian Organization (UMO) "Ilinden" from commemorating the anniversary of the Ilinden Uprising at the Samuilova Krepost [Castle of Samuil] near Petrich. The celebration was scheduled to take place on 2 August. The mayor motivated his decision with the fact ...
OSCE Review Conference - IHF Report on Greece
The following are excerpts from the IHF's report regarding Greece and its treatment of minorities. For the full text, please visit the IHF's homepage. National Minorities Greece is the only Southeast European country that does not recognize the presence of any national minorities in its territory.
Appeal for Recognition of Minorities in Greece
The following are excerpts from the International Helsinki Federation's 1999 Report on Greece. For the full text please click here IHF FOCUS: Freedom of expression and media; protection of ethnic minorities; citizenship; religious tolerance; protection of asylum seekers and immigrants. Government efforts to improve Greece's traditionally poor human rights record ...
IHF 1999 Human Rights Report - Bulgaria
The following are excerpts from the International Helsinki Federation's 1999 Report on Bulgaria. For the full text please click here IHF FOCUS: Freedom of expression and the media; freedom of association and peaceful assembly; independence of the judiciary and fair trial; lustration law; torture, ill-treatment and misconduct by law enforcement ...