[ALBSA-Info] Albanian Helsinki Committee - Greek Helsinki Monitor

[Agron Alibali]

 TIRANA SEPTEMBER 15,  2004

 Press Report

 About the joint press conference of the Greek
Helsinki Monitor and the Albanian Helsinki Committee,
in Thessalonica  

 
 Today, on September, 15. 2004, at 11.30 hours, there
was held a joint press conference of the Greek
Helsinki Monitor and the Albanian Helsinki Committee
at the Balkan Center "Media" in Thessalonica, The
conference had the participation of the Executive
Director of the Albanian Helsinki Committee Ms.  
Vasilika Hysi and Mr. Panayote Dimitras,
representative of the Greek Helsinki Group and Ferhat
Ceka, one of the victims of maltreatment on the part
of the Greek Cross- border Police. The representatives
of the Greek Helsinki Monitor and the Albanian
Helsinki Committee will be present at the judicial
proceeding.

 The pres conference was held one day prior to the
criminal trial in the Military Criminal Court of
Thessalonica against the Greek military authorities.
This is the very first court of this kind, held
against the violence used towards Mr. Ceka on March,
8, of the year 2002.

 In the press release, Mr Dimitras voiced his revolt
related to some facts that have been interpreted as
discriminatory acts towards Mr. Ceka, such as the
difficulty of Mr Ceka in having a visa to testify in
the court.

 As a result of a previous accident that Mr. Ceka had,
he is now an invalid and has difficulties while
walking. Despite this, he has not been provided with a
facilitating transport means in the airport of Athens,
meanwhile this service has been provided for a Greek
national.

 Afterwards Ms. Vasilika Hysi, Executive Director of
the Albanian Helsinki Committee took the floor. In her
speech, after thanking the present media, she
expressed the commitment of the Albanian Helsinki
Committee in cooperation with the Greek Helsinki
Monitor to denounce the cases of the maltreatment of
the Albanian migrants from the Greek law enforcement
officials. 

 In her speech, Ms. Hysi expressed the concern about
xenophobia and albanophobia on the part of Greek
citizens towards the Albanian migrants. 'Albanian
Helsinki Committee will never support migrants that
commit crimes, on the contrary in this aspect they
should be taken to the court, but always this should
be done by respecting the rights recognized and
prescribed in the international instruments and the
Greek legislation.  Cases of the maltreatment of the
migrants are still ongoing' said Ms. Hysi. In this
context she highlighted the recent tragic cases that
occurred in Greece, such as the case of  Luan
Berdellima (dead from the maltreatment made by the
Greek police) as well as the case of Gramoz Palushi
(killed days ago in the island of Zakinto in Greece) 

 Ms. Hysi voiced her concern about the cases of the
maltreatment of the Albanian migrants at the border,
as well as the other flagrant cases of the violation
of their rights in the judicial proceedings as well
more severe punishment to Albanians than to Greeks for
the same criminal offences. Moreover, Ms Hysi
mentioned other cases of the violation of human rights
as the  sentencing of the Albanians in Greece without
the presence of a defence lawyer, providing an
interpreter having no knowledge of the Albanian
language, etc.

 Ms. Hysi pointed out that Albania and Greece share
many things in common. The Albanian migrants in Greece
and the Greek minority in Albania should serve as
linking bridges and not as   splitting bridges between
the peoples. She stated that the court being held the
coming day is the first trial versus the Greek state
and it would serve to minimize the cases of the
maltreatment of the Albanian migrants in Greece.

 Later on Mr. Ferhat Ceka took the floor and explained
the occurrence. Media was interested as regards the
fact what Mr Cek. was going to ask in the hearing of
the coming day. Mr. Ceka made known that he would ask
the punishment of the culprits as well as material,
moral and psychological  damages.