IFEX- News from the international freedom of expression community

ACTION ALERT - GREECE

1 September 2000

SOURCE: Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), Athens

(GHM/IFEX) - GHM strongly condemns the recurrent practice of refusing entry

to Greece to Macedonian and Turkish activists and journalists labelled as

"undesirable". The latest case concerns Slavko Mangovski, editor-in-chief

of the weekly magazine "Makedonsko Sonce" published in Skopje. He is also

known for his defence of the rights of Macedonian minorities in the Balkans.

As Mangovski wrote in a complaint he filed to the Greek ombudsman on 1

September 2000, "I wanted to enter Greece through the Evzoni border

crossing on the afternoon of 25 August to visit a village festival in

northern Greece. I was informed by the border authorities that there was a

problem with my status after the computer check, and that if I wanted to

wait they would send a fax to the Central Police in Athens and verify

whether I could gain entry. After a prolonged wait, I decided to return

rather then spend hours waiting. On 28 August , I attempted entry at the

border crossing of Niki in order to visit another village festival. After

the routine computer check, I was advised to wait and after approximately

10 minutes was summoned to the office of what appeared to be the chief of

the police and given a Notification Certificate for the Refusal of Entry

specifying 'other reasons' as grounds for the refusal. At the same time, a

crossed stamp was placed in my U.S. passport, apparently in order to alert

border authorities that I'm effectively banned from ever entering Greece."

Although no reason was provided, GHM believes that Mangovski (born in

Bitola, Macedonia) is on the list of "undesirables" because of his

outspoken criticism of Greek policy towards the Macedonians. It is also

improper for the authorities of Greece to stamp, i.e. deface, another

state's document (in this case, a U.S. passport) which makes the bearer of

the latter possibly look suspect to third countries' border authorities,

besides Greece and the U.S., when he attempts to enter any other country.

RECOMMENDED ACTION

Send appeals to authorities:

- denouncing the harassment of the editor and the practice of

"blacklisting" as undesirable foreign writers, journalists and activists

who are critical of Greek minority policy, or have family roots in Greece

- recalling that Greece, as a signatory of the OSCE documents and the

Stability Pact, is committed to facilitate rather than hinder the freedom

of movement across its borders with its neighbors

- stressing that the ban of entry to a media person is also a violation of

the freedom of expression and a practice that only authoritarian states

practice today

APPEALS TO:

George Papandreou

Foreign Minister

Athens, Greece

Fax: +30 1 36 81 433

Dimitris Reppas

Minister of Press and Information

Athens, Greece

Fax: +30 1 36 06 969

Please copy appeals to the source if possible.

For further information, contact GHM at P.O. Box 60820 GR-15304 Glyka Nera,

Greece; tel. +30-1-347.22.59; fax +30-1-601.87.60, e-mail:

office@greekhelsinki.gr, Internet: http://www.greekhelsinki.gr.

The information contained in this action alert is the sole responsibility of

GHM. In citing this material for broadcast or publication, please credit

GHM.

_________________________________________________________________

DISTRIBUTED BY THE INTERNATIONAL FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

EXCHANGE (IFEX) CLEARING HOUSE

489 College Street, Suite 403, Toronto (ON) M6G 1A5 CANADA

tel: +1 416 515 9622, fax: +1 416 515 7879

alerts e-mail: alerts@ifex.org general e-mail: ifex@ifex.org

Internet site: http://www.ifex.org/