A Greek court has sentenced three men to five years in prison for unlawfully detaining 13 migrants and refugees in a trailer. The vigilantes believed the detainees were responsible for a deadly fire in the northeast in 2023, according to legal sources on Thursday.
The fire, known as the Evros fire, was Europe’s deadliest last year, claiming the lives of at least 20 people, predominantly migrants. The incident exacerbated anti-immigrant sentiment, as reported by Greece’s Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN), a coalition of NGO groups that monitors hate crimes. The RVRN noted that attacks by civilian militia groups on migrants are not uncommon in the region.
Despite the context, the court ruled that the motives of the three men were not racially driven, a decision criticised by lawyers representing the migrants. They argued that this ruling undermines the recognition and prosecution of racially motivated attacks in Greece.
Initially, the migrants faced charges of attempted arson, but these were dropped earlier this year due to insufficient evidence, as determined by investigating judges.
The vigilantes were arrested in August 2023 for allegedly kidnapping the 13 undocumented migrants, primarily from Syria and Pakistan, who had crossed the Greek-Turkish border near Evros. Court documents indicated that the arrests were partly based on a social media video showing the migrants confined in a trailer pulled by a jeep. In the video, one man could be heard referring to the migrants as "25 pieces" and urging civilians to "round up" others suspected of arson.
The court eventually reduced the kidnapping charge to illegal detention. Greek courts typically do not publish their rulings immediately, adding to the complexity of the legal process.
John Patzanakidis, a lawyer for the migrants, expressed concern over the ruling, stating, "It's obviously a negative development. The number of racist crimes recorded in Greece is just the tip of the iceberg. Only a few of them reach the court and in even fewer, the court recognizes a racist motive."
The three men received a custodial sentence, meaning they will not be physically detained pending an appeal. Michalis Dimitrakopoulos, the lawyer representing two of the defendants, argued that the sentence was harsh, given that the men acted on the suspicion that the migrants were arsonists and intended to hand them over to the police.
The Evros fires predominantly affected migrants and refugees crossing from Turkey, who often sought shelter in the forests of the region. This case highlights the ongoing tension and challenges surrounding migration and the treatment of migrants in Greece.
(Source: Reuters)