REPORTS
Complaints of unnecessary and excessive use of force by police against protesters during a march held in solidarity with a prisoner on hunger strike, Yiannis Michailidis
Citizens complained of unprovoked police violence during the solidarity march for Yiannis Michailidis in the center of Athens. The march took place after the rejection of Michailidis’ request for release from prison by the Appeals Council of Lamia and the rapid deterioration of his health following 67 days on hunger strike.
The march was characterised by a large police presence from the outset. According to the Greek Police, officers were attacked by protesters and one police officer was injured.
However, according to the testimonies of protesters, the police initiated the violence without any provocation. Shortly after the start of the march, riot police started using tear gas and flash bangs. Shortly afterwards, water cannons were also deployed. Video records an instance of a police officer striking a protester in handcuffs in the face, and in another instance an officer kicking a protester who was lying on the ground three times.
14 people were arrested and charges filed against 4 of them for resistance, disobedience, disturbing the peace, assault, abuse, as well as for weapons law violations.
In a state governed by the rule of law, the actions of the police authorities must be governed by certain principles such as, among others, the principle of legality, the principle of proportionality, the prohibition of the abusive exercise of police power and the respect and protection of human rights.
Therefore, although the police may use violence to enforce the law, this does not mean that every instance of the use of preventive or repressive force on their part is legal. On the contrary, the arbitrary use of violence is a dangerous phenomenon for a democracy.
The responsibilities and behaviour of the police authorities in the exercise of their duties are regulated by Presidential Decrees 141/1991 and 254/2004, among other laws.
The behaviour of police officers as reported and recorded on video on 7/28/2022 (such as unprovoked violence, punching a protester in the face while handcuffed, for example) do not appear to be consistent with the standards demanded by the rule of law.
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