The death of Mohamed Kamran Asik, who was found dead and severely beaten in the detention cell of the Agios Panteleimon police station, is not an isolated case, writes the German newspaper Tageszeitung (TAZ). According to the report, Kamran’s case is emblematic of a broader issue of police brutality in Greece.

“This is not an isolated incident – far from it,” notes the paper, referencing a 106-page report by the National Commission for Human Rights titled Overview of Police Brutality in Greece. The report highlights that the scale of torture and abuse, affecting both Greek citizens and foreign nationals, is far greater than it might appear. “The cases that have come to light are just the tip of the iceberg,” it states, as quoted by the Greek edition of Deutsche Welle.

TAZ reminds readers that Greece has been convicted in more than 100 cases by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) for violations of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), which prohibits torture. “Many of these cases involved torture or inhuman and degrading treatment by police officers,” the newspaper points out.

Kamran’s family has accused the police of torturing him to death, a claim that the authorities have denied. The police labelled Kamran as a “homeless drug addict with no knowledge of Greek” and attributed his death to “pathological causes”. However, the victim’s family refutes this narrative. Kamran had lived in Greece for 20 years, spoke fluent Greek, held a residence permit since 2017, rented a flat in his own name, and worked as a trader. The family also reported that Kamran had two mobile phones on him, neither of which could be traced.

TAZ further notes that only days after Kamran’s death, another immigrant, Mia Harizoul, was found dead in the Omonia police station. Despite this, little action has been taken; the head of the Omonia police station was merely transferred to another station, reportedly at his own request, rather than being removed or suspended.

The report concludes pessimistically, stating that significant improvements to the situation are unlikely in the near future.

______________________________________________

Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.

Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.