Report by Iliana Zervou

A letter from the victims’ families in Pakistan, which reached Athens in time for the event, expressed their grief and demand for answers:

“Yes, the lives of migrants, the lives of all of us, matter. None of them are illegal.”

A call for accountability

“This concert is another step to stop the government from covering up the Pylos crime, as it is attempting to do with the crime in Tempe,” said a KEERFA representative, recalling the tragedy of June 14, 2023, when at least 600 refugees drowned.

Javed Aslam, representing the Pakistani community, conveyed the pain and demands of the victims’ families who, just a day earlier, had held a protest outside the Greek embassy in Pakistan, holding photos of their loved ones and calling for justice.

He stressed the role of solidarity in the acquittal of nine Egyptians who had been falsely accused of human trafficking and held for months without evidence. He also directly accused the Greek Coast Guard of being responsible for the drownings:

“They did nothing to save them. If they had wanted to, they could have.”

A letter from the victims’ relatives in Pakistan made three key demands:

  1. The right to enter Greece to attend the trial and seek the truth.
  2. Answers on why all communication with their loved ones was buried.
  3. Accountability from the Greek, Pakistani, and European authorities for ensuring safe passage for migrants.

The legal battle for truth

Lawyer Dimitra Linardaki outlined the legal failures in the case, revealing that only the captain and crew of the Coast Guard patrol boat 920 had been summoned for questioning, while higher-ranking officials from the Coast Guard and political leadership remained untouched.

“The evidence in the case file clearly points to responsibility at every level,” she stated.

She also condemned the 15-hour delay in launching a rescue operation, despite authorities knowing the vessel was in critical condition.

“They didn’t even do the simplest thing—give life jackets to those onboard,” she stressed.

Survivors have also alleged that the Coast Guard attempted to tow the overcrowded vessel, which led to its capsizing and sinking.

“Not only did they fail to rescue them, but they actively contributed to their deaths.”

“Pylos is the greatest racist crime in post-war Europe”

Speakers also linked the Pylos disaster to broader struggles against racism and state violence.

The Palestinian Community of Greece, speaking under a waving Palestinian flag, described Pylos as part of a larger struggle for justice:

“The fight continues. Just as we resist genocide in Gaza, we must resist injustice here.”

Magda Fyssa, whose son Pavlos Fyssas was murdered by Golden Dawn fascists, expressed solidarity with the families, stating:

“More than 600 people died tragically in the Aegean, leaving mothers, fathers, siblings, spouses, and friends in mourning. Their families have been seeking justice for over a year, and so have we.”

She emphasised the need for collective resistance:

“If we do not call these acts what they are—murders—they will continue. And they do continue.”

Rescuer Jason Apostolopoulos drew direct parallels between the actions of the Greek Coast Guard and far-right violence:

“These people were left to die not for something they did, but for what they are: migrants, refugees, workers, the poor—just like Golden Dawn murdered Shahzad Luqman because of his skin colour.”

He denounced the cover-up of the Pylos case, comparing it to the Tempe train disaster:

“From the moment this happened, they worked to erase the evidence—just like in Tempe. They erased mobile phone footage, deleted recordings from Coast Guard cameras. It is a coordinated cover-up.”

But he also called for hope and resistance, drawing inspiration from the Palestinian struggle:

“No oppressor is invincible. The Palestinian people, despite genocide, despite relentless bombing, despite decades of occupation, have not bent. And neither should we.”

The event concluded with a call to stand with the survivors and the victims’ families in their fight for justice, demanding that those responsible be held accountable in court.

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