COMMITTEE ON THE ELIMINATION

OF RACIAL DISCRIMINATION

Seventy-fifth session

3 to 28 August 2009

QUESTIONS BY THE RAPPORTEUR IN CONNECTION

WITH THE CONSIDERATION OF THE SIXTEENTH TO

NINETEENTH PERIODIC REPORTS OF GREECE

Article 2

Please provide updated information on the application of Law 927/1979 “on punishing acts or activities aiming at racial discrimination”, including the number of convictions and the sentences imposed. What measures have been taken to ensure that acts of violence against members of ethnic minorities are always promptly and effectively investigated and prosecuted?

Please provide information on measures taken for the implementation of article 79, paragraph 3 of the Criminal Code, which states that when a crime is motivated by racial, national or religious hatred, this shall be considered an aggravating factor. Please also provide examples of cases in which this article has been applied.

Please provide statistics on “incidents of discrimination or unlawful use of force” by the police mentioned in paragraph 158 of the State party report, insofar as they relate to the scope of the Convention, and indicate what sanctions, if any, were imposed for such crimes.

Article 4

Please indicate whether organizations and groups promoting or inciting racial discrimination in the State party, including Neo-Nazi groups, have been legally banned and their organizers prosecuted.

Kindly provide information on the monitoring of compliance with Presidential Decree 100/2000, which provides that “television stations may not broadcast programs which incite hatred between citizens on the grounds of their different race, religion, citizenship or gender”.

In light of the provisions of article 4 of the Convention, which require that the dissemination of ideas based on racial superiority or hatred be punished by law, please comment on the recent reversal by a Greek appeals court of a 2007 conviction in the case of Costas Plevris, for the publication of his book "The Jews - The Whole Truth”. Is the book still available and sold in the State party?

Article 5

Please provide statistical information regarding the participation of members of ethnic minorities in central and local State bodies, in the police force and the judiciary and, in the case of inadequate representation, on measures adopted to improve the situation.

According to the independent expert on minority issues, Roma children did not have full and equal access to education at the time of her visit in September 2008. Please provide clarification on the concrete level ofintegration of Roma children in the education system and on measures taken to eliminate discrimination against Roma children in school due to stereotypes, their lack of knowledge of Greek or the unavailability of teaching in Romani. Please also provide information on the results obtained by the project for the education of Greek-Roma pupils mentioned in paragraph 69 of the State party report.

Please provide information on the level of achievement, if possible with statistics and examples,of the aims and priorities of the “Integrated Action Program for the social integration of Greek Roma” as well as on progress made with regard to the Integrated Action Plan for the integration of third-country nationals legally residing in the Hellenic territory.

Are ethnically Slavic Greeks in general allowed to use their mother languages in private schools and publications, including Slavic Macedonian? Are Slavic names accepted for children of Greek citizens?

Please elaborate on the Government’s view of the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights which found that Greece violated the right to freedom of association by rejecting associations bearing the name “Turkish”.

Article 6

Please provide information on measures taken to guarantee the independence of the Office of the Ombudsman and to enhance its capacity to deal with discrimination in various fields.

Please provide statistical information on the number and nature of cases regarding racism and racial discrimination dealt with by the Office of the Ombudsman, the Committee for Equal Treatment and the Labor Inspectorate during the period 2007-2009.

Please comment on reports concerning obstacles encountered by Roma seeking an effective remedy in Greek courts. Please provide information on measures taken to ensure the equal treatment of Roma before civil courts and in the Criminal Justice System. Examples will be welcome.

Article 7

Please provide information on training programmes and courses on human rights issues for members of the judiciary, law enforcement officials and other public officials and indicate whether such programmes or courses include components focused on the rights and obligations set forth in the Convention.

Please provide information on measures taken to disseminate the State party report and the Committee’s concluding observations, including through translation into Greek and posting on relevant Government websites.

Additional information

Please indicate if the State party intends to make a declaration under article 14 of the Convention, thus accepting the Committee’s competence to receive and consider individual complaints.

As a matter of clarification and understanding, and without implying any criticism on the part of the Rapporteur, please explain the reasons why Greece signed (in 1997) but never ratified the Council of Europe’s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

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