EU human rights court raps Greece over racist attack against migrant
The European Court of Human Rights has ruled Greece failed to ensure an effective investigation was carried out into a racist attack against a migrant in Athens in 2009.
Undocumented Afghan national Rafi Sakir had been stabbed and beaten by masked individuals using knives and metal bars in the Aghios Panteleimonas district. He was rushed to hospital but later found himself in a police cell facing charges for illegally entering the country. Proceedings were also brought against him for perjury and making false claims while the two men he identified as his assailants lodged a complaint against him for defamation. All the charges were later dropped.
Police authorities were accused of ignoring the racist attack and for shelving the case.
“The court noted shortcomings in the investigation conducted following the assault with regard to the gathering of evidence and the questioning of witnesses,” the court said in a press release referring to its March 24 ruling, adding “that authorities failed to assess the case in the particular context of the racist incidents which frequently occurred in Athens.”
