Situation in Greece

Resolution 385 (1968)

Author(s):

Parliamentary Assembly

Origin

Assembly debate on 26 September 1968 (16th and 17th Sittings) (seeDoc. 2467, report of the Political Affairs Committee). Text adopted by the Assembly on 26 September 1968 (17th Sitting).

The Assembly,

1. Recalling the provisions of Article 3 of the Statute of the Council of Europe, by virtue of which every Member must accept the principles of the Rule of Law and of the enjoyment by all persons within its juridiction of human rights and fundamental freedoms ;

2. Recalling that in Resolution 361 the Assembly decided (inter alia) in paragraph 8 :

to give close consideration to the Constitution submitted to referendum and to the conditions under which the referendum itself would be held in order to ascertain their democratic character, and

to make a recommendation, by the spring of 1969 at the latest and earlier if necessary, in relation to suspension or expulsion of Greece from the Council of Europe if the promises of the régime to move towards an acceptable parliamentary democracy had not been respected ;

3. Considering :

a that the derogation from the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms in Greece still persists ;

b that many army officers, civil servants, professors and even judges have been dismissed on political grounds ;

c that according to the opinion of juridical experts, which is shared by the Legal Affairs Committee of the Assembly, the draft Constitution drawn up by the Greek Government does not conform to democratic principles ;

d that the conditions in the months preceding the referendum on the draft Constitution have made a free and democratic campaign impossible, that according to the declarations of the Greek Government the referendum will be held under martial law decreed on 21 April 1967, and that it cannot therefore be considered as a free expression of the popular will ;

e that the Greek Government has made it clear, inter alia in the declaration made by the Prime Minister on 16 September 1968, that it has no intention, in the near future, of applying the articles of the Constitution concerning parliamentary elections and human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of press, the freedom of association, the freedom of assembly, and the freedom to form political parties,

4. Condemns the continued refusal of the Greek Government to re-establish human rights and fundamental freedoms and to ensure the rapid return to a democratic parliamentary regime ;

5. Expresses its solidarity with the Greek people in its present plight and especially with those who are the victims of repressive measures ;

6. Considers that respect for the Statute constitutes the very foundation of the Council of Europe's existence and must therefore admit of no exception ;

7. Recalls Article 8 of the Statute of the Council of Europe by virtue of which "any Member of the Council of Europe which has seriously violated Article 3 of its Statute may be suspended from its right of representation" ;

8. Calls for :

a the immediate return to a democratic and parliamentary system including the right of the Greek people to vote upon a democratic Constitution ;

b the immediate abolition of martial law, the full restoration of human rights and fundamental freedoms and an end to restrictions on political liberties ;

c the organisation of parliamentary elections within six months under conditions which allow everyone to conduct a free and democratic campaign, including the announcement of the date of such elections in adequate time to enable political parties to prepare for them ;

9. Expects all member governments of the Council of Europe to use their influence to secure the realisation of these aims and to show their willingness to give both moral and material support to a government committed to the rapid establishment of a democratic and parliamentary system in Greece ;

10. Decides :

a to follow attentively the development of the situation in Greece with regard to a return to parliamentary democracy and the restoration of human rights and fundamental freedoms ;

b to consider, at its session in January 1969, in the light of a new report of its Rapporteur concerning the progress made towards the restoration of democracy in Greece, whether to recommend to the Committee of Ministers to suspend the Greek Government from its right of representation in the Council of Europe, in accordance with Article 8 of the Statute.