Brussels, 31 May 2017
The European Bureau for Conscientious Objection expresses its indignation for the forthcoming trial of Panagiotis Makris by the 3-membered Military Court of Thessaloniki on Thursday, June 1st, for an offence of “insubordination” since 1990!
Panagiotis Makris is one of the pioneer non-religious conscientious objectors in Greece who have been struggling for the recognition of the right to conscientious objection since the ’80s. His brother Thanassis was one of the first two conscientious objectors on ideological grounds who had been imprisoned in those years and had entered in long-term hunger strikes to claim their freedom but also everybody’s right to conscientious objection. In 1998, when the first legislation for alternative civilian service came into force, Panagiotis Makris’ application was rejected for bureaucratic reasons. But even if he had been recognized as a conscientious objector he would have been required to perform a punitive alternative service. Almost two decades later, the alternative service remains punitive in Greece (67% longer than the military service for the vast majority of conscripts).
In Greece conscripts are exempted from the military service at the age of 45, but prosecutions for previous periods of “insubordination” continue to be valid. Nevertheless, according to the Law 4361/2016, Article 12, paragraph 8, all prosecutions of conscientious objectors for “insubordination” before the first law providing for alternative service came into force (1/1/1998) should cease and be archived by the prosecutor. In violation of this provision, the prosecutor referred Makris’ case to the military court.
Makris should have not been prosecuted in the first place, as his prosecution is also in violation of the international human rights law. More specifically Greece’s treatment of Panagiotis Makris throughout the years constitute:
The continuous persecution and violation of human rights of Panagiotis Makris illustrates not only the vindictive stance of the military authorities against the pioneer conscientious objectors and especially Makris family, but also reflects the situation of all conscientious objectors in Greece despite numerous condemnations by international human rights instruments and the repeated promises of the Greek government for reform.