[ALBSA-Info] [Albanians-Today] Greece: Immigrantion control-Human rights abuses against Albanians

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http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engeur250082003

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
Public Statement

AI Index: EUR 25/008/2003 (Public)
News Service No: 259
14 November 2003

Greece: Immigrantion control-Human rights abuses against Albanians

Amnesty International is concerned by a persisting pattern of ill-treatment
of Albanians suspected of being undocumented immigrants by Greek police
officers and soldiers.

Shpetim Shabani (28) from Lushnja district in Albania, who says that he was
legally in Greece, was arrested on 10 November in the town of Agrinio. In a
statement to Albanian border police on 12 November, he alleged that three
Greek police officers, dressed in camouflage uniforms, entered the bar
where he was drinking coffee, asked to see his papers, and then, in public
view beat him with their guns, kicked and punched him. He was then taken to
a police station, where he was held for two days, before being forcibly
returned to Albania. Three days later, the bruises on his body were still
reportedly visible, and his left shoulder was very painful.

Two other men gave written statements to the Albanian police alleging
ill-treatment. Albert Prifti, from Kucova district, and Vetiak Mane from
Lushnja district, alleged that they were beaten by border guards or
soldiers on border duties, after being arrested as they attempted
clandestinely to enter Greece on foot. Another young man, Lisian Telhaj,
also from Lushnja district, who claimed to be legally employed in Athens,
told journalists that he too had been beaten by police after his arrest
near the Greek-Albanian border.

These incidents follow upon the tragic death in September of Vullnet Bytyci
(18) from Has district in Albania, about whom Amnesty International wrote
earlier to the Greek authorities. He was fatally shot by a Greek border
guard on the evening of 23 September 2003 while attempting to enter Greece
clandestinely. He was not armed. According to press reports, the guard was
arrested but released several days later pending investigation on a charge
of "reckless homicide". In the same letter, Amnesty International raised
six other cases said to have taken place in the week from 15 to 22
September 2003 involving Albanian citizens who alleged that they had been
brutally beaten by border-guards after being arrested. One of these, Gori
Halili (46) from Elbasan district, who had been working in the village of
Kalithea, alleged that he was beaten, kicked and robbed by guards serving
on the Greek-Albanian border near Krystallopigi, before being returned to
Albania. On his return he was admitted to hospital where he was found to
have suffered a ruptured spleen, and had to undergo an operation for its
removal. Another man, Rrahman Pashollari, who alleged that he had been
similarly detained and ill-treated by border guards, sustained a fractured
rib. At least two further such incidents have been reported in October and
early November.

Amnesty International has called on the Greek authorities to instruct
police and soldiers on border guard duties to limit the use of firearms to
situations involving imminent threat of death or serious injury, in line
with international standards. It emphasized that torture and ill-treatment
are absolutely prohibited by international human rights treaties ratified
by Greece and by Greek domestic law. The organisation calls for all such
incidents and allegations of ill-treatment to be promptly, thoroughly and
impartially investigated, and for those responsible to be brought to
justice, and the victims granted compensation.

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