25 September 2012
In June 2012, three actors were briefly arrested and later charged for blasphemy after taking part in a play in Athens. Their case raised high concerns of the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and its fellow Greek partner the Greek Helsinki Monitor. Both organisations issued a statement and wrote an open letter to the Greek Minister of Justice calling the Greek government to abolish blasphemy laws. After a parliamentary debate on the issue, the Greek government… read more »
23 July 2012
Mr. Antonis Roupakiotis Minister of Justice, Transparency and Human Rights July 23, 2012 Dear Mr. Minister, The European Humanist Federation (EHF) and the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) wish to draw your attention to the case of three actors charged for blasphemy after taking part in a play in Athens on the 9th of June 2012[1]. This worrying situation shows the urgency to adapt the Greek legislation to modern European standards in order to protect… read more »
30 December 2011
Panayote Dimitras (founder of the Humanist Union of Greece) and some of his colleagues in the Greek Helsinki Monitor (affiliated to the International Helsinki Federation) have won a case against Greece at the European Court of Human Rights. In their work under the Helsinki process, they frequently have to make depositions or give evidence in court. Despite constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion or belief, Greek law requires that as a default they have to… read more »
24 April 2010
The newly formed Humanist Union of Greece has filed a complaint against the the Bishop of Kalavryta and Aegialia Amvrosios and against the Greek State (equally liable as bishops are civil servants) alleging that an article by him “intentionally incites to actions that may cause discrimination, hatred or violence and expresses ideas that offend persons or groups of persons only because of their religion”. The bishop had written “When . . . there are Greeks… read more »
The newly formed Humanist Union of Greece has filed a complaint against the the Bishop of Kalavryta and Aegialia Amvrosios and against the Greek State (equally liable as bishops are civil servants) alleging that an article by him “intentionally incites to actions that may cause discrimination, hatred or violence and expresses ideas that offend persons or groups of persons only because of their religion”. The bishop had written “When . . . there are Greeks… read more »
20 February 2010
In February 2010 the EHF sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Greece protesting about threats to a human rights organisation, the Greek Helsinki Monitor, by a government minister speaking in the Greek parliament. We copied our letter widely. The Greek Helsinki Monitor has successfully taken many cases against Greece to the European Court of Human Rights, including several related to secularist concerns. It is currently backing cases by several parents seeking to apply… read more »
12 February 2010
The EHF has sent a letter to the Prime Minister of Greece protesting about threats to a human rights organisation, the Greek Helsinki Monitor, by a government minister speaking in the Greek parliament. We have copied our letter widely. The Greek Helsinki Monitor has taken many cases to the European Court of Human Rights, including several related to secularist concerns. It is run by Panayote Dimitras, who spoke at our conference in Athens in 2008… read more »
20 January 2010
Greece has a new Humanist organisation. The Humanist Union of Greece, founded this month, has 48 members so far. It announces that it “aims to promote secularism and a humanist view of cultural, social and ethical values and to work for social and cultural progress. To achieve these aims, the association aims to publish statements on specific issues related to its aims; to provide information to the public; to advocate before administrative and judicial authorities… read more »
7 October 2008
Intervention by David Pollock at OSCE HDIM 2008 Let me start with a quotation: The principle of separation of church and state must not be used as an excuse to separate state and religion, suggesting that religion is a strictly internal matter for the individual and that the “public square” must be free of religion and therefore of believers and their communities. This is the complaint we hear constantly today from some religious organisations. Things… read more »
17 May 2008
Panayote Dimitras spoke of numerous cases the Greek Helsinki Monitor had taken and won against Greece for a legal system that assumed Greeks were members of the Greek Orthodox Church and made it difficult for people to be recognised as having other – or no – beliefs. This notice of one of their victories gives an example of the sort of case involved. GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR (GHM) Address: P.O. Box 60820, GR-15304 Glyka Nera Telephone:… read more »