Topic: Rights of Accused
Country: Greece
Delegate Name: Kory Hamblin
School: Roeper School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Greece position papers GLIMUN 2015 committees
Greece is very excited to be a part of a conversation in the Human Rights Council about the rights of the accused. In Greece, Rights of the Accused requires a warrant for all arrests that are not made during the actual commission of crime to prohibit arbitrary arrests. Pretrial detainment can last up to eighteen months. Legal activists both inside and outside Greece believe the length of pretrial detention is excessively long, however the law does provide the detainees with the opportunity to contact a close relative, a third party, to consult with a lawyer. In Greece, detainees are allowed access to medical resources. In felony cases the bar association will appoint a lawyer to defendants who cannot, for any reason, afford one on their own. The nation of Greece believes that the length of pretrial detention clearly is an area for discussion and could be shortened based on the reason of detention.
Greek law also provides the right to a fair trial and the right to sue the government for any violations of rights. The Greek judiciary often seems to be more lenient toward those who claim a political motivation for their infraction. Consistency in sentencing is something that could be strengthened. In Greece, trials are public and juries are usually used. However the law permits the denial of the right to jury in cases of violent terrorism. Defendants have the right to be present at trial to consult with an attorney. Defendants may question and present witnesses during the trial. Defendants who do not speak Greek are also allowed a translator, but the availability of a translator may vary.
The nation of Greece understands that legal standards often associated with Western nations may not be accepted or implemented in many regions of the world, due to the legal standards and practices in those nations. Greece urges nations to adopt legal standards consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Articles 10 and 11, adopted in 1948. Greece lauds the progress made by Organization of American States, African Union, and European Union in extending legal rights defined by the UDHR. Most recently the Sustainable Development Goals Declaration Introduction, Point 8 states: “We envisage a world of universal respect for human rights and human dignity, the rule of law, justice, equality and non-discrimination…”
What is before this body is the question of how to guarantee the rights of the accused given the varying legal traditions and standards of many nations without violating national sovereignty? Greece looks forward to working with members of this committee to more clearly define rights of the accused.
