- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text adopted by the Standing Committee on 23rd June 1967.
The Assembly,
1. Recalling the provisions of Article 3 of the Statute of the Council of Europe, by virtue of which every Member of the Council of Europe accepts the principles of the rule of law and of the enjoyment by all persons within its jurisdiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms ;
2. Recalling its Order No. 256 on the general policy of the Council of Europe ;
3. Expressing once again its grave concern at the present situation in Greece and at the many serious reported violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms ;
4. Expressing its complete solidarity with the Greek people and with all those who have suffered and are suffering for the defence of liberty and democracy ,
5. Considers that respect for the Statute of the Council of Europe and for the European Convention on Human Rights constitutes the very foundation of the Council of Europe's existence and must therefore admit of no exception ;
6. Expresses its concern in particular about the fate of those Greek parliamentarians who have been members of the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe ;
7. Asks for the adoption of every appropriate means for the restoration of normal political and parliamentary life in Greece, a country to which it remains particularly attached ;
8. Having been informed of the notice of derogation addressed to the Secretary General of the Council of Europe by the Greek Government under Article 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights ;
9. Considering that such a derogation may only be made in time of war or other public emergency threatening the life of the nation and only to the extent strictly required by the exigencies of the situation, provided that such matters are not inconsistent with other obligations under international law and that the Greek Government has not shown that these conditions are satisfied ;
10. Believing that, in an important and serious case of this kind, the Contracting Parties to the Convention have a duty to act under Article 24 of the Convention and that, if they do not act as requested, the mechanism of collective guarantee of human rights set up by the Convention runs the risk of becoming meaningless,
11. Expresses the wish that the Governments of the Contracting Parties to the European Convention on Human Rights refer the Greek case, either separately or jointly, to the European Commission of Human Rights in accordance with Article 24 of the Convention ;
12. Calls upon the Bureau to appoint a Rapporteur with a view to reporting at the next January Session on the reported violations of the fundamental human rights and democratic freedoms committed by the Greek Government so that action could be taken, if necessary, in terms of the Statute, whether or not a member Government presents the Greek case to the European Commission of Human Rights.
