Panayote Dimitras is co-founder and spokesperson of the Greek Helsinki Monitor, which deals with human and minority rights and anti-discrimination issues. Tommy Olsen is the founder and director of Aegean Boat Report, which monitors and reports on the movement of people in the Aegean Sea to ensure that any illegal practices, such as refugee refoulement, are highlighted and eliminated.
As reported (see indicatively 1, 2, 3), Mr. Dimitra and Mr. Olsen were prosecuted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of Kos on charges of ‘forming a criminal organisation with the purpose of receiving information from citizens of third countries, who attempt illegal entry into Greece, in order to facilitate their illegal entry and stay, by sending the authorities their complete information and their exact location in the country, in order for the latter to be subject to asylum procedures,’ while the former was also subjected to the restrictive measure of being banned from working with the Greek Helsinki Monitor.
These prosecutions have, however, provoked a number of reactions both inside and outside the country. In this context, there has been talk of the persecution of human rights defenders in order to intimidate as well as persecution that seems to be part of a broader context of targeting those active in the refugee field and aimed at neutralising the activities of activists in the field of defending the rights of asylum seekers. For more on the reactions from various organisations, institutions etc. see 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and the statements by P. Dimitras and T. Olsen on the issue in 1, 2, 3).
Respect for fundamental rights is one of the basic components of the rule of law. The role played by rights activists/defenders is central to the consolidation of human rights and the eradication of human rights violations.
As Amnesty International states in its 22-12-2022 tweet, human rights defenders should not be criminalised and targeted for their legitimate human rights work. When human rights defenders’ actions are unjustifiably restricted, obstructed, punished or suppressed, states are failing to comply with their international human rights obligations.
For this reason, the prosecution of P. Dimitras and T. Olsen, two persons representing organisations active in the field of safeguarding the rights of asylum seekers, has provoked criticism both inside and outside Greece.
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