Yes, I know
too that hazing takes place in the army ! No conviction for the movement in the
army (inside and out).
One year before our comrade and member of the Conscript
Solidarity Committee, Nikos Argiriou was harshly convicted to a two year
sentence with suspension after being sued by the then commander (currently
retired) of the 586 TP/K Boot Camp of Grevena D.Voutsi. May we remind to all
that in Greece mandatory military conscription is mandatory for every male
citizen over the age of 18.
This
conviction was imposed for report seven years before. This report posted at the
Conscript Solidarity Committee website was in fact a letter from a conscript of
the boot camp denouncing hazing taking place in the camp. The sentence imposed
to our member not only opposes the antiwar sentiment of the workers and youth
but violates many regulations and rights of free trial.
The procedure
followed in the trial reminds us of dark moments of the legal system and
resembled nothing to a court uphold some law. Illegal removal of
confidentiality, telephone surveillance without a warrant, refusal to address
all the witnesses and a trial jury which responded in the name of the
prosecutor. The vibe of the trial was making it clear that Nikos Argiriou would
be convicted.
The court
convicted him for defamation, for an incident that is common truth for the
greek society. He was convicted because the Conscript Solidarity Committee
condemned the hazing practices in the army, a practice which is still active in
the ranks of Greece's armed forces. It seems like only the court of the trial
didn't know what takes place in the boot camps and barracks of the nation, and
in what conditions conscripts serve the mandatory military obligations. All
that when the Greek society in whole speaks openly for the so called
"abnormality" and "irrationality" of military service.
Practicing
hazing in the armed forces hasn't been eradicated as the prosecutor and retired
officer says, and unfortunately even the number of conscripts committing suicide
during their service don't seem to decrease. The living conditions of the
conscripts remain vile and the incidents of extreme nationalism and drug
addiction remind to all of us how important it is to intervene and organize a
movement inside and outside the armed forces. A conscript movement seeing the
conscript as what they truly are which is citizens in uniform, this is the
harsh reality in a world of mandatory military conscription.
The Free
Conscript Network "Spartacus" and Conscript Solidarity Committee have
contributed for a movement for peace, fighting against militarism and war at
any given occasion. Their initiatives in the mass movement, in the youth and
the enlisted conscripts is known to everyone. Conscripts revealing, through
letters that the Conscript Solidarity Committee publishes , the living
conditions in the barracks, condemning openly the murderous wars of NATO and
EU. This "team" made from the Free Conscript Network
"Spartacus" and the Conscript Solidarity Committee have promoted the
need to defend the conscript rights, abolish military expenditures and
disbandment of war organizations such as NATO and the EU Army.
In such days
that war is surrounding us, a critique but even more an active condemnation of
such phenomena will not be tolerated by the state. They are trying to supress
any movement that involves the armed forced, especially now that it could cause
such damage to their treacherous plans. In times of nationalistic tensions
rising, military expenditures increasing and attempts to expand the mandatory
effect of conscription that ever male citizen will serve his military sentence
the day he turns 18. ( Today you can postpone your military service for reasons
such as university education but you must serve at some time or else you are
prosecuted by law). All these are threats against the people and youth of the
country.
But Nikos
Argiriou is not alone! With this resolution we stand by his side at the
appellate court of March 21st 2017, we stand by his side and we Demand :
- Acquittal
of Nikos Argiriou
-
Cancellation of his sentence
- Removal of
all charges against him
We fight for
our rights of freedom in electronic press, and free circulation of ideas and
news.
No movement
will me criminalized !
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