On 28 January 2025, Mr. Yannis Maggos, father of Vassilios Maggos, sent an open letter to the Minister of Citizen Protection Mr. Michalis Chrisochoidis and the Minister of Justice Mr. Giorgos Floridis, denouncing the use of police violence against him, as well as the creation of a ‘climate of terror’ against him and his family by police officers in the context of the criminal trial of a police officer for the torture of his deceased son.
The letter also contained photographs taken of the police violence he was subjected to outside the Volos Court. He claimed that police officers attempted to prevent him, along with his wife and his lawyer, from entering the court, and that he was thrown to the ground and beaten.
He added that during the trial, police officers mocked him and his family, creating a climate of terror. In fact, one of them who had testified as a witness but who is also one of the six accused, directed threatening words at him.
In a state governed by the rule of law, the action and functioning of the police authorities must be governed by certain principles, including the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of 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 exercise of their duties are regulated, inter alia, by Presidential Decrees 538/1989, 141/1991 and 254/2004.
Although the Police may use force in order to enforce the law and protect human rights, this does not mean that all use of preventive or repressive force by police officers is legal. 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.
In view of the above, the competent authorities must investigate the complaint by Mr Yannis Maggos about the use of police violence against him and the creation of a hostile atmosphere in the context of the criminal trial for the torture of his deceased son, as the allegations raise the issue of a violation of the legal framework for the lawful operation of the police authorities.
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