According to a complaint filed by Lillian Archontis, she and her daughter, Christina, were subjected to violent and arbitrary behaviour by police officers in a square in the city centre near Kolonos, on the afternoon of 31 July 2022.
She reports that her daughter was grabbed and thrown down on the pavement and held down with a foot on her back, When her mother protested she was also thrown down on the pavement. They were arrested for violence and disobedience, taken to the police station and were not allowed to go to the hospital to have their injuries and bruises recorded. They were even asked to ‘forget’ about the incident. (see more in 1, 2, 3).
In a state governed by the rule of law, the police authorities must be governed by certain principles, including the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of the abuse of police power and the respect for and protection of human rights.
The powers of the police authorities and the conduct to be displayed by them in the performance of their duties are regulated, inter alia, by Decree 141/1991 and Decree 254/2004.
Although the police may use force to enforce the law, this does not mean that all use of preventive or repressive force by the police is lawful. On the contrary, the arbitrary use of the power to use force and police action in excess of legal limits is a dangerous phenomenon for a democracy.
The allegedly unprovoked behavior of the police forces in this case appears, however, to be outside the legal limits of police action.
Bank Account number: 1100 0232 0016 560
IBAN: GR56 0140 1100 1100 0232 0016 560
BIC: CRBAGRAA
In a time where the very foundations of democracy are gradually being eroded by the rise of extreme nationalism, alt-right movements, the spread of disinformation and corporate capture, the efforts of organisations such as Vouliwatch are more relevant than ever.
We rely on the generosity of each and every one of you to continue with our efforts for more transparency and accounta
By financially supporting Vouliwatch you support our litigation strategy, our campaigns for transparency and accountability in the political system, the development of new civic tech tools, our research projects and last but not least our impartial and accurate
