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 !
send your sign to epitropiallilegiistrateumenwn@gmail.com
