Greece turned sour against the USA, after the Human Rights report of the State Department sharply criticized the Greek government on a series of issues.
The Greek Foreign Ministry issued a statement questioning the credibility of the State Department sources.
It is the same Greek tactic applied also to reports of the European Parliament.
State Department Human Rights Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
There were no significant changes in the human rights situation in Greece during the past year.
Significant human rights issues included credible reports of: cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment or punishment of prison detainees and of migrants and asylum seekers by law enforcement authorities; crimes involving violence targeting members of national, racial, or ethnic minority groups; and crimes involving violence or threats of violence targeting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or intersex persons.
The government regularly took steps to investigate, prosecute, and punish officials who committed human rights abuses, whether in the security forces or elsewhere in the government. There were, however, complaints from nongovernmental organizations and international organizations regarding government failures to effectively investigate allegations of forced returns of asylum seekers and to hold those responsible to account.
Key points via @Nicholas-D
Greece’s Foreign Ministry statement
The report records, without further investigation, allegations made by non-governmental organizations, none of which have been subjected to independent scrutiny.
Precisely because of this indiscriminate recording, it appears that major human rights issues exist in all countries with developed rule-of-law systems.
The fact that the Greek state was not asked for its opinion on the issues mentioned is of particular importance for the report’s integrity, reliability, and objectivity.
While progress in the protection of rights in Greece is acknowledged at many levels, the report overlooks or completely ignores regulatory interventions and national strategies of recent years aimed at securing the rights of vulnerable groups of citizens, such as people with disabilities, LGBTQI individuals, and unaccompanied minors.
Over time, reports on Greece have presented similar human rights issues. Notably in the period of 2016-2019, very serious allegations were raised, which were gradually handled.
The Greek government will continue to consistently serve democracy and the rule of law in Greece, deepening the substantive equality of citizens and their individual and social rights, as well as improving their standard of living.
