(GHM/IFEX) – The following is a 3 May 2003 GHM press release: GREECE “CELEBRATES” WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY WITH THREAT OF DEPORTATION OF LEADING ALBANIAN JOURNALIST AND ACTIVIST GAZMEND KAPLLANI! URGENT APPEALS REQUESTED! Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) condemns in the most unequivocal way the decision of the Greek authorities to deport Gazmend Kapllani for reasons […]
(GHM/IFEX) – The following is a 3 May 2003 GHM press release:
GREECE “CELEBRATES” WORLD PRESS FREEDOM DAY WITH THREAT OF DEPORTATION OF LEADING ALBANIAN JOURNALIST AND ACTIVIST GAZMEND KAPLLANI! URGENT APPEALS REQUESTED!
Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) condemns in the most unequivocal way the decision of the Greek authorities to deport Gazmend Kapllani for reasons related to the country’s “public order and security.”
Gazmend Kapllani migrated from Albania to Greece in 1991, at the age of 18, and has since been residing in the country legally as student. He holds a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Athens (1997). He is currently a Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Political Science and History of Panteion University, in Athens, with a state scholarship. His thesis topic is “Modernity and otherness: the image of Albanians in the Greek press and of Greeks in the Albanian press.” As a journalist, he has been working for the largest daily, “Ta Nea”, the state radio station NET 105.8, Albania’s daily “Koha Jone”, and the Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) Balkan Crisis Report. He is also the founder of the NGO “Home of Albanian Culture”, a member of the extra-parliamentary center-left party AEKA, and has been the most vocal advocate on migrant issues in the Greek media.
On 26 February 2002, he filed routinely all necessary documents for the renewal of his residence permit. On 27 February 2003, his application was rejected for unspecified “reasons related to the country’s public order and security,” on the basis of a legal procedure that the Greek Ombudsman has called unconstitutional because of its vagueness and arbitrariness. He should, as a consequence, leave the country, and faces the danger of being blacklisted for the Schengen countries. The Secretary General of the Ministry of Public Order met with G. Kapllani on 11 March 2003, but did not reverse the decision. G. Kapllani has appealed against the decision to the courts. Greek media that cover the case state that G. Kapllani faces deportation because of his vocal and critical views. Along with AEKA, the media call on the Minister of Public Order, Mr. Michalis Chrysihoidis, to either cancel the decision or reveal the reasons justifying it. GHM urges that appeals be faxed to the Minister at +30 210 691 7944.
Related links:
http://www.aeka.gr/anakoin/kaplani.htm
http://www.enet.gr/online/online_p1_fpage_text.jsp?dt=03/05/2003&id=82405520,1304272,9063504
http://193.218.80.70/cgi-bin/hwebpressrem.exe?-A=320171&-w=&-V=hpress_int&-P.2
