Definitive Report - Report No 147, 1975

Case No 784 (Greece) - Complaint date: 25-MAR-74 - Closed

1. 118. The Committee already examined this case at its 67th Session (May 1974) and submitted its report to the Governing Body in paragraphs 146-157 of its 144th Report.
2. 119. Greece has ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. A. The complainants' allegations

1. 120. In its communication of 25 March 1974, the WFTU stated that a large number of persons had been imprisoned, tortured and ill-treated by the Greek Military Security Police. Those arrested included two veterans of the Seafarers' Union, A. Ambatielos and N. Kaloudis. The complainants stated that A. Asmanis, G. Stergiou and Y. Plapoutas were being held on the island of Yaros and that Y. Lippas also was imprisoned.
2. 121. In reply to these allegations, the Government then in power stated that Mr. Ambatielos and Mr. Kaloudis, both militant Communists, were not trade unionists and had been arrested not because of trade union activities but for attempting to establish an underground communist organisation. The Government promised information on the other detainees mentioned in the complaint.
3. 122. At its May 1974 session, the Committee recommended that the Governing Body request further information from the Government regarding the position of Mr. Ambatielos and Mr. Kaloudis. The Committee also decided to submit a further report to the Governing Body once it had received this information and the information promised by the Government concerning the other detainees.
4. 123. The latter provided this additional information in a letter of 4 June 1974. According to the Government, all these persons were arrested because of their activities as anarchists and not because of their trade union activities. It added that none of them was an active trade unionist and hence none of them represented any workers.
5. 124. When the Government of Greece changed in July 1974, the new Government sent a letter dated 19 September 1974 in which it stated that as soon as it took over power it had promulgated a Presidential Decree, No. 519, a copy of which was enclosed, announcing an amnesty? As a result of this amnesty, all persons imprisoned or detained for political reasons were released. These include not only Mr. Ambatielos and Mr. Kaloudis, but also all the other persons mentioned in the complaint.

The Committee's recommendations

1. 125. In these circumstances, the Committee recommends that the Governing Body:
   • (a) to note that all the persons mentioned in the complaint have benefited from an amnesty and have been released by the new Government; and
   • (b) to decide, therefore, that the case does not call for further examination.