Vassilis Rafailidis, a journalist, has been sentenced to four months in prison by the court at Drama. He is accused of having insulted the mayor of Prototsani, Constantin Raias, in an article published in the daily “Ethnos” in December 1994. The article denounced the actions of the Mayor after about fifty Jehovah’s Witnesses were attacked […]
Vassilis Rafailidis, a journalist, has been sentenced to four
months in prison by the court at Drama. He is accused of having
insulted the mayor of Prototsani, Constantin Raias, in an article
published in the daily “Ethnos” in December 1994. The article
denounced the actions of the Mayor after about fifty Jehovah’s
Witnesses were attacked by about one hundred Orthodox fanatics in
his village. Speaking to the local press, Mr. Raias said that he
would no longer tolerate the presence of Jehovah’s Witnesses in his
town, “independent of their rights and freedoms as covered by the
Constitution.” Rafailidis based his editorial in “Ethnos” on a
report by the human rights defense organization Helsinki Watch when
calling Mr. Raias a “miserable little mayor.” The court of Drama
accepted the Prosecutor’s request for the charge of “insult” but
rejected the accusation of defamation. Vassilis Rafailidis has been
set free pending an appeal.
Recommended Action
Send appeals to Greek authorities:
comments seem minor in light of the comments made by the Mayor of
Prototsani
profession without hindrance
Greece since the beginning of the year
Appeals To
Prime Minister Andreas Papandreou
Megaron Maximou
Herodou Atticou Av
10674, Athens, Greece
Fax: +30 1 671 6880
Please copy appeals to the originator if possible.
