Greece has a long history of protest, from anti-austerity, trade unions and student demonstrations, to protests against unlawful use of force by police, mass mobilizations demanding justice for the 2023 Tempi rail tragedy, and protests in solidarity with Palestinians. Despite this tradition and repeated assurances by the Greek authorities that the right to freedom of assembly is guaranteed, Amnesty International’s research reveals persistent and serious breaches both in law and in practice. The findings show a troubling pattern of punitive protest policing and abusive use of force, seemingly aimed at punishing participation and deterring people from exercising their right to peaceful assembly, rather than respecting and facilitating the same.
