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.
For more information please call
Amnesty International's press office in London, UK, on
+44 20 7413 5566
Amnesty International, 1 Easton St., London WC1X 0DW.
web:
http://www.amnesty.org
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