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(c) Photo Courtesy ENNHRI

As a member of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), the Greek National Commission for Human Rights participates consistently and actively in the work and the administration of the European Network. At this year's Leadership Forum, which was aimed at the heads of NHRIs and senior executives and was successfully organized by the ENNHRI Secretariat in Brussels on September 24-26, 2025, the GNCHR was represented by its Scientific Staff Coordinator. Ms. Eva Tzavala coordinated the discussion among her counterparts on the relationship between NHRIs and ENNHRI with the Council of Europe, in the spirit of the Reykjavik Declaration on the future of the Council of Europe (2023) and the Secretary General's proposal for a New Democratic Pact for Europe (2025). The Head of the Council of Europe's Human Rigths Directorate , Ms. Claire Ovey, also participated in the Forum's proceedings.

The Greek National Commisison works closely with the Office of the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and the monitoring bodies of international conventions adopted within the framework of the Council of Europe (CPT, GREVIO, GRECO, ECRI, etc.). The GNCHR maintains a special relationship with the European Court of Human Rights, as it translates its thematic factsheets into Greek, promotes its case-law and the ECHR, and intervenes in pending cases or at the execution phase of judgments to support the work of the Court and the Committee of Ministers. In recent years, the Greek National Commission has also used the tools available for NHRIs in their relationshop with the European Committee of Social Rights, which monitors the implementation of the Revised European Social Charter.

The Leadership Forum discussed, among other matters, issues of cooperation with the European Union and its special bodies and agencies.

At the same time, internal administrative and organizational issues of NHRIs were examined, with particular emphasis on enhancing the effectiveness of their mandate and activities, in the context of the new landscape currently taking shape in Europe for human rights. NHRIs are guardians of human rights at national level, with a critical role and increased responsibilities in times of crisis.

Read here the updated version of the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) report on the status of women in Greece (2025). 

The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) participated in the 25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology “Logos of Crime and Punishment”, which took place on 3–6 September 2025 in Athens, at the American College of Greece (ACG).

The NCHR was represented by Dr. Anastasia Chalkia, Special Scientist, who delivered a presentation on “Rising punitiveness and alarming trends in prisons: The Greek experience in a European context”. Her analysis highlighted the protection of the human rights of prisoners, the need for institutional monitoring and recording of prison conditions, and the formulation of penal policies fully aligned with international and European standards. The presentation was part of a thematic panel on prisons and the consequences of incarceration, which also included comparative perspectives from Norway, the United States, Brazil, and Romania.

In parallel, Dr. Anastasia Chalkia, representing the GNCHR, also played an active role in the organization of the 25th Annual Conference of the European Society of Criminology (Eurocrim 2025) as a member of the Organizing Committee, together with representatives of Greek and international academic institutions, namely Panteion University (Department of Sociology), the University of Crete (Department of Sociology), the Faculty of Law, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the University of Cyprus (Department of Law), the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law (Freiburg, Germany), and Northeastern University (Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice, Boston, USA).

The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) has submitted its response to the OHCHR questionnaire on disability-inclusive infrastructure. The contribution highlights persistent gaps in accessible transport and housing in Greece, stressing the need for stronger enforcement, coherent policies, and the full participation of persons with disabilities in decision-making. Despite progress, structural barriers remain making accessibility a human rights priority.

Read the GNCHR contribution here

28 August 2025

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, and the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR), the independent advisory body to the Greek State in accordance with the UN Paris Principles, express deep concern over the escalating negative rhetoric and hostile environment directed at refugees, migrants, and the civil society organizations that support them.

Civil society organizations have long played an essential and institutional role in Greece, providing vital assistance to the most vulnerable, particularly in times of increased pressure, and strengthening social cohesion. They are recognized partners by the United Nations, the European Union and the Greek Government itself, which has long relied on their support. Their efforts complement state institutions and help ensure responsive and inclusive governance. Civil society organizations exercise a critical democratic function, supporting Government’s accountability and the respect of the rule of law.

We are particularly concerned by public statements, initiatives and information leaks that stigmatize civil society actors or suggest punitive measures against organizations that may express differing views or seek legal recourse to justice on behalf of people who have sought support. Such rhetoric risks eroding public trust and undermining years of mutually beneficial cooperation between the State and civil society.  Oversight and accountability are both legitimate and necessary – and civil society organizations fully embrace these principles. But when presented as threats or punitive tools, they risk becoming instruments of intimidation and restriction.

We call on all political and public actors to continue recognizing and supporting the vital role of civil society, ensuring an environment where their contribution can continue freely, transparently, and without apprehension. A safe and enabling operating environment for human rights defenders constitutes a long standing recommendation by international and European human rights bodies. An empowered civil society is one of democracy’s strongest safeguards.

The GNCHR and UNHCR will continue to work alongside the Greek State, civil society, the host community and all partners to ensure that the rights and dignity of all people – including refugees and migrants – are respected and upheld.

UNHCR and GNCHR joint statement in pdf format

On the TV station “DION Television of Central Macedonia”, the Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas spoke on behalf of the Green National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) on Monday, July 21, 2025, regarding the suspension of asylum applications, the GNCHR Statement entitled: “The Suspension of Asylum Applications and the Violation of International Law” of July 11, 2025 and the GNCHR permanent and consistent positions on the protection of access to asylum and the principle of non-refoulement.

Watch the interview with Dr. Christos Tsevas, GNCHR Human Rights Advisor

Recording Mechanism of Incidents of Informal Forced Returns

Press Release

Publication of the 2024 Annual Report

The Recording Mechanism of the GNCHR documents the consolidation of the characteristics of the modus operandi and identifies new components in the operations of informal forced returns (IFRs) reportedly taking place at the borders.

Athens, 17/07/2025

The Recording Mechanism of Incidents of Informal Forced Returns (Recording Mechanism) established by the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR),[1] to enhance the guarantees of objectivity and reliability in reports concerning incidents of informal forced returns[2] from the Greek territory, publishes today its 2024 Annual Report.

The 2024 Annual Report is based on 61 testimonies and documents 52 incidents reportedly occurring between January 2022 and December 2024. The total number of alleged victims involved in these incidents is estimated at a minimum of 1,517 individuals, including at least 300 women, 225 children, and 133 persons with specific needs.

The Report presents comprehensive statistical data and a qualitative analysis of the findings drawn from the testimonies of the alleged victims, recorded in accordance with the Methodology of the Recording Mechanism.
For the third consecutive year, the Recording Mechanism records a significant concentration of testimonies concerning incidents of informal forced returns sharing common features, demonstrating the entrenchment of specific operational practices and the repetition of serious human rights violations at Greece’s borders.

Key findings:

• The alleged victims originate predominantly from countries whose nationals are frequently recognised as beneficiaries of international protection.
• Among them are three individuals who claim to have been recognised as refugees in Greece and one person who reports having been registered as an asylum seeker by the Greek authorities.
• The presence of eleven Turkish asylum seekers among the alleged victims indicates direct breaches of the principle of non-refoulement.
• The testimonies describe acts that point to serious violations of the principle of non-refoulement under the 1951 Geneva Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, as well as breaches of the prohibition of inhuman or degrading treatment, the rights to liberty and life, the right to asylum, and the prohibition of collective expulsions, as safeguarded by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (CFREU). These acts also constitute criminal offences under Greek law.
• Such acts reportedly target individuals in situations of particular vulnerability, including people with serious illnesses or disabilities, pregnant women, elderly persons, and children.
• The testimonies recorded by the Recording Mechanism refer to the involvement of both uniformed personnel and individuals in civilian clothing. In some testimonies relating to incidents in Evros, it was reported that third-country nationals, speaking the victims’ languages and acting in cooperation with or under the instructions of uniformed officers, also took part in the removal operations.

The 2024 Annual Report also presents and analyses new findings and further insights into the modus operandi of IFRs. Specifically:

• For the first time, the Report analyses the practices of successive detention and convergent removal, highlighting their role as core operational patterns in IFRs.
• Testimonies relating to incidents in the Evros region indicate the existence of an operational network of secondary actions within the mainland (notably Thessaloniki and Komotini), meaning that victims were reportedly apprehended beyond the border zone. This pattern, documented for the third consecutive year, reveals the breadth and organisational structure of these operations.
• A clear distinction is observed between land incidents in Evros and maritime incidents. The former are characterised by networks of operations extending from the border into inland areas, while the latter focus mainly on maritime operations preventing approach or disembarkation on Greek islands.
• Testimonies point to qualitative differences in the use of violence. In incidents in Evros, violence reportedly had a punitive character and involved greater physical intensity, whereas in sea incidents, it mainly took the form of actions obstructing navigation and disembarkation, marked by increased danger to life and recorded fatalities.

The 2024 Annual Report of the Recording Mechanism is available here

The Recording Mechanism for Incidents of Informal Forced Returns brings together civil society organisations active in the field, providing legal, medical, psychosocial and other services to third-country nationals. All participating organisations have legal personality and representation in Greece. The UNHCR Representation in Greece supports the Recording Mechanism as a cooperating partner, providing technical assistance and expertise on issues related to refugee protection.

The testimonies recorded by the Recording Mechanism come from individuals who are not related to each other, except in the case of families or members of the same group. These individuals come into contact with civil society organisations while seeking assistance and voluntarily consent to the recording of their testimonies by the Recording Mechanism.

The Recording Mechanism does not take part in legal proceedings that may be initiated either by alleged victims and their legal representatives or by the prosecuting authorities. Through the safe identification and documentation of alleged victims, the Recording Mechanism encourages them to seek redress from the competent authorities and the judiciary.

[1] The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR), as the National Human Rights Institution (NHRI) of Greece and the independent advisory body to the Greek State on issues relating to the promotion and protection of human rights, in accordance with the United Nations Paris Principles and Law 4780/2021, has, among its institutional mandates, the continuous monitoring of human rights issues, public awareness-raising, and the promotion of related research.

[2] The term informal forced returns refers to both the alleged pushbacks of asylum seekers and refugees and other forms of forced removal of third-country nationals from Greece that are reportedly carried out irregularly and without due process — in other words, without following the legal procedures required for such removals. By law, any forced return of a third-country national must be based on an individual decision, be subject to judicial review and effective remedies, and be implemented with full respect for fundamental human rights.

The Racist Violence Recording Network (the Network) is increasingly concerned by a noticeable shift in public discourse towards xenophobia, racist rhetoric, and diminishing adherence to fundamental principles of the rule of law, in the context of migration and asylum management in the country.

Recently, the public and media discourse around refugees and migrants, particularly in relation to the rise in new arrivals via Libya to Crete – has reflected a growing climate of anxiety and polarization. This has been further fuelled by statements from political leaders, political parties, and public authorities. The use of derogatory terms such as "clandestines," the portrayal of new arrivals as an "invasion" and a “population replacement” attempt, and the dissemination of misleading claims about privileges and benefits supposedly given to migrants and refugees at the expense of others are just a few examples having a negative impact on local communities and fuelling social division. Such narratives contribute to the portrayal of these individuals as a threat to society, instrumentalize fear and undermine social cohesion. As the Network’s findings have repeatedly shown, this type of rhetoric may normalize, encourage, and ultimately escalate intolerance and racist violence.

The arrival of refugees and migrants in Crete has put pressure on local capacities and communities, particularly in the absence of an organized reception facility in the area. The Network has emphasized many times in the past, in similar situations, that the rise in xenophobia is often linked to the lack of a coherent, well-resourced and human-centred refugee and migration policy. Such a policy would help prevent overcrowding and avoid exposing newly arrived individuals to precarious conditions—challenges that ultimately affect both refugees and migrants as well as local communities. A recent concerning incident, in which flares were thrown at a group of newly arrived persons temporarily hosted in a stadium in Rethymno, underscores this point. The incident was rightly and promptly condemned by local authorities.

Policies such as the suspension of asylum applications for those entering from North Africa, as well as proposals to criminalize irregular entry or stay in the country, risk further targeting refugees and migrants. While States have the right to manage their borders, such measures raise serious legal and ethical concerns – particularly when combined with narratives that depict all new arrivals as “illegal invaders” and ignore the obligation to provide international protection to refugees. The right to seek asylum is a fundamental human right, enshrined in international, European and national law, and applies to everyone regardless of how or where they arrive in a country. Even at times of migratory pressure, States must ensure that people seeking asylum have access to asylum procedures and are not returned, prior to a final decision on their asylum claim, to a place where they would face threats to their life or freedom. This would breach the principle of non-refoulement – an essential pillar of international law from which no derogation is permitted. 

Competent authorities play a critical role in ensuring a coordinated response and adopting policies for the dignified and lawful reception of those arriving in the country, as well as in preventing and combatting the phenomena that lead to the dehumanization and targeting of “others”—refugees and migrants—based on origin, nationality, or religion.  In recent years, Greece has experienced the surge of organized racist violence, which posed a threat to public safety and fundamental rights—a phenomenon that, by no means, has been eradicated. We therefore urge all those who, especially in institutional roles, through their actions or statements foster an environment conducive to such incidents, to reflect on the grave responsibility they bear.

Political leadership, institutional representatives, and the media have a shared responsibility to promote public dialogue on migration and asylum that is evidence-based, measured, and rooted in the principles of international law and respect for the human dignity of all.

The responsibility to combat racism and xenophobia lies with all of us—and first and foremost with the institutions that express, formulate and implement policies at central and local level.

The press release in PDF format

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The Racist Violence Recording Network was established in 2011 by the National Commission for Human Rights (NCHR) and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency. The Network comprises of 55 members: Aitima, Solidarity Now, Antigone -Information and Documentation Centre, University of Aegean Anti-Racist Observatory, Arsis, Doctors of the World (MdM), Amnesty International, Network for Children’s Rights, Network for Social Support of Refugees and Immigrants, “Pleiades - Hellenic Action for Human Rights”, Hellenic League for Human Rights, Hellenic Red Cross, Greek Council for Refugees, Greek Forum of Migrants, Greek Forum of Refugees, Human Rights Commission of the Bar Association of Rhodes, Positive Voice, Medical Intervention, Caritas Athens, Caritas Hellas, Centre for Research on Women’s Issues “Diotima”, “Babel” Day Centre, Centre for the Support of Repatriated and Migrants - Ecumenical Refugee Program, Network for the Support of Refugee and Migrant Rights (Patras), World Without War and Violence, LATHRA? - Solidarity Committee for Chios refugees, METAction, Rainbow Families, Group of Lawyers for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants, Group of Lawyers for the Support of Refugee and Migrant Rights (Thessaloniki), Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, Association of Afghans United In Greece, Association of Social Workers of Greece, Greek Transgender Support Association, Faros tou kosmou, Forum of Migrants in Crete, Refugee Support Aegean, Act Up Hellas, ASANTE, Colour Youth - LGBTQ Youth Community of Athens, Generation 2.0 RED,HIAS in Greece, HumanRights360, Melissa Network, PRAKSIS, A21, Simeio for studying and fighting the far-right, Lesvos Solidarity, Steps, Legal Centre Lesvos, Aegean Migrant Solidarity | Christian Peacemaker Teams, the Panhellenic Confederation of the Greek Roma “Ellan Passe”, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Centre for the Study of Social and Humanitarian Crises (CSSHC), Thessaloniki Pride, I Have Rights

The GNCHR participated in the 4th meeting of the Monitoring Committee of the “Western Greece” Program 2021-2027 on June 24, 2025. At the meeting, the GNCHR was represented by the Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas, who underlined the special role entrusted to the National Commission, in ensuring the compatibility of the funded projects and actions of the NSRF 2021-2027 programs with fundamental rights under the Common Procedures Regulation (EU) 2021/1060.

The GNCHR representative underlined the role of the National Commission in the above context and referred in particular to the added value of the Commission. He informed the Monitoring Committee that relevant seminars focusing on fundamental rights in regional programs have been completed, while on the basis of references and comments during the Monitoring Committee’s discussions, the GNCHR supports actions or findings for amendments for the benefit of vulnerable groups, for facilities, for mental health. Regarding the Roma context, the GNCHR has made its recommendations to the competent bodies and the Advisory Committee for the Social Inclusion of the Roma and draws the attention of the national authorities to the implementation and intensification of the National Strategy for the Social Inclusion of Roma 2021-2030 with a view to the immediate lifting of their socio-economic exclusion.

It is noted that the GNCHR actively participates in all meetings of the Regional and Sectoral Monitoring Committees of the same programming period.

The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) participated in the European Implementation Network (EIN) Conference on the Implementation of ECtHR Judgments on Freedom of Expression. The Conference was entitled: “Implementing ECtHR Free Speech Judgments: Civil Society Impact, Lessons Learned and Future Strategies” and took place in Thessaloniki on 25-26 June 2025. This specific action falls under the two-year program “Protecting Freedom of Expression by Supporting ECtHR Implementation”.

The GNCHR was represented by the Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas with a presentation entitled: “Protecting Freedom of Expression: The Role of NHRIs and the GNCHR in Ensuring Long-term Impact and Synergies” with emphasis, among other things, on the added value of the GNCHR due to its pluralistic composition, its recent actions on issues of freedom of expression and the execution of ECtHR judgments (e.g. Vasilakis and Katrami groups of cases), the protection of human rights defenders, the recommendations in the framework of the reports on the rule of law, the SLAPPs, relevant educational activities, the connection with the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI), its recent participation in the 2025 NHRI Academy, which was organized by ENNHRI and ODIHR with the central topic of the protection of human rights defenders. The panel was entitled “Maintaining Momentum: Future Strategies for Long-term Impact and Synergies”.

For more information: EIN CONFERENCE - Implementing ECtHR Free Speech Judgments: Civil Society Impact, Lessons Learned and Future Strategies — European Implementation Network

The GNCHR participated in the Conference entitled “Sustainable Supply Chains: Promoting Human Rights and Social Responsibility in light of the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive,” which took place on 25 June 2025 at the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI). The workshop was organised by the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the Labour Inspectorate in the framework of the programme “Prevention of Human Trafficking for Labour Exploitation in Supply Chains,” with the financial support of the governments of Germany, Austria, Norway and France.

The GNCHR was represented by Dr Anastasia Chalkia, Human Rights Advisor, who in her presentation highlighted the role of the Greek Commission, placing particular emphasis on its institutional interventions regarding human rights due diligence, with the aim of strengthening state commitment and promoting corporate compliance. Indicative examples from the recent work of the GNCHR were presented, such as the organisation of a two-day conference on the CSDDD, participation in international fora and workshops, the development of synergies with other NHRIs, and its report on CSDDD. In addition, the crucial role of NHRIs in institutional monitoring and the prevention of human rights violations in the context of business activities was underlined, as well as the importance of their active participation—where appropriate—in the broader supervisory and regulatory framework related to the implementation of the CSDDD.

The GNCHR participated in the Scientific Conference of Graduates of the Postgraduate Program “Law and Information and Communication Technologies” of the University of Piraeus on Saturday, June 21, 2025. The Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas represented the GNCHR with the following presentation: “Human Rights impact Assessment of Artificial Intelligence systems: The perspective of the Greek National Commission for Human Rights and the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions”.

The presentation focused on the FRIAs based on the EU Regulation 2024/1689 on Artificial Intelligence, the HUDERIA Methodology of the Council of Europe for the risk and impact assessment of Artificial Intelligence systems from the point of view of human rights, democracy and the rule of law, as well as the work of the GNCHR and the ENNHRI in the field of Artificial Intelligence. Particular mention and analysis was made of the ENNHRI Statement of 7 April 2025 entitled: “ENNHRI calls on the European Commission to ensure effective Fundamental Rights Impact Assessments (FRIAs) under the EU AI Act” and its recommendations.

The following indicative topics were discussed at the conference: the EU Directive 2022/2555 NIS-2 and Law 5160/2024, Artificial Intelligence Act (AI Act) and implementation environments, privacy in the context of malicious or annoying communication, IT contracts, Artificial Intelligence and other emerging technologies, Artificial Intelligence after death: Ethical and Legal Considerations.

Professor Stefanos Gritzalis, Director of the Postgraduate Program "Law and Information & Communication Technologies" and Member of the GNCHR appointed by the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy - ADAE, welcomed the graduates at the event.

The Coordinator of the Scientific Staff of the GNCHR, Ms. Eva Tzavala participated on 26 June 2025 in the work of the Monitoring Committee of the Migration and Home Affairs Funds (AMIF, BVMI, ISF) of the 2021-2027 programming period. The Greek National Commission, entrusted with a specific role under the Common Provisions Regulation (EU) 2021/1060 to ensure the compatibility of projects financed by European funds with human rights, participates continuously and in an active manner in the meetings of the Monitoring Committee.

In her statement, the representative of the GNCHR acknowledged the progress that has been made in terms of transparency of the procedures, the information shared with the Monitoring Committee on the issues it is called upon to examine and the participation of civil society in the work of the Monitoring Committee. In order to strengthen the management and control system, the Greek National Commission made the following recommendations to the Managing Authority:

(1) training of managing authorities, stakeholders and beneficiaries to strengthen their capacity to monitor and respect the provisions of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in the implementation of the European Funds,

(2) facilitating effective participation of civil society in the work of the Monitoring Committee; and

(3) assessing existing mechanisms for monitoring the compatibility of the Funds with human rights.

Watch the statement by the GNCHR representative: 

You can watch the entire meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/WxnKZDfFHE0?feature=shared

Dr. Christos Tsevas, GNCHR Human Rights Advisor, participated in the Academy of National Human Rights Institutions, which was organized on 9-13 June 2025 in Warsaw by the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions (ENNHRI) and the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR). The main topic of the Academy was the protection of Human Rights Defenders (HRDs).

Emphasis was placed on the UN Paris Principles, mainstreaming gender in NHRI’s work, international and regional standards of the protection of HRDs, early warning signs, smear campaigns and attacks against HRDs, laws and policies affecting freedom of association, freedom of assembly, judicial harassment and criminalization, SLAPPs, digital threats to HRDs and protecting HRDs in the digital space, identifying and responding to the early warning signs.

The participants exchanged good practices on the protection of HRDs and discussed the difficulties faced by HRDs and civil society in the region. The GNCHR presented its role in the protection of HRDs in general and in the areas of migration and asylum in particular, the connection and cooperation with civil society and the activities of the for Racist Violence Recording Network and the Recording Mechanism of Informal Forced Returns.

The GNCHR participated in the First Global Network on National Human Rights Action Planning and the Workshop on Uncovering 30 Years of NHRAPing - Lessons from the Five Continents on 4-6 June 2025, organized by the School of Law and Social Justice of the University of Liverpool.

The GNCHR was represented by the Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas with a presentation on the “The National Human Rights Action Planning in Greece: Best Practices and Challenges”.

According to the University of Liverpool, this workshop was the biggest international gathering of experts on national human rights action planning and marked the first meeting of the members of this global network. The objective is to create a lasting platform to share good practices, challenges and possible response strategies to enhance the effectiveness of National Human Rights Action Plans (NHRAPs) in different phases. 

During the Workshop there were discussions on developments and evaluation of NHRAPing, the experience of different countries around the world, good practices and gaps of protection, the links of NHRAPing with digitalization and the National Mechanism for Implementation, Reporting and Follow-up (NMIRFs).

For the sixth consecutive year, the GNCHR, in its role as a national human rights institution, has contributed to the European Commission’s annual assessment of Greece’s progress on rule of law issues. The report is available on the website of the European Network of National Human Rights Institutions.

This year, European NHRIs have focused on key areas such as justice, media freedom, and the protection of human rights defenders.

The GNCHR Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas participated in a conference of the National School of Judiciary, on May 19, 2025 in Thessaloniki, on the topic “The protection of crime victims from serious forms of discrimination (racism, xenophobia, religious intolerance, disability, sexual orientation, identity - expression - gender characteristics) in the countries of the EU”.

The presentation was entitled: “Religious Intolerance and the Protection of Hate Crimes Victims: The European and National Approach” and it focused on the work of the European Union, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) through the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), the role of national human rights institutions and especially the Greek National Commission for Human Rights and the Racist Violence Recording Network, while reference was also made to the National Council against Racism and Intolerance (NCRI).

The conference was organized for 58 students of the Political-Criminal Justice Department of the National School of Judiciary. The audience also included 23 students from European schools of judiciary within the framework of the AIAKOS Exchange Programme.

The GNCHR participates in European programmes to strengthen the protection and promotion of human rights in Greece in cooperation with other institutions, national authorities and organisations from Greece and other EU countries. it is always a pleasure to see our efforts acknowledged.

The latest European Commission report on the application of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights mentions as a good practice the Rooting for Rights programme, which was implemented by the GNCHR in 2023-2024 in cooperation with organisations from Greece, Cyprus, Malta and Portugal to promote the use of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights in the field of protection of the rights of applicants for international protection.

The Report provides more insights on the project that, “building on the Charter strategy, focused on awareness-raising and advocacy with national authorities (reaching in total 25 national institutions, human rights bodies, state actors and ombudspeople). It built the capacities of legal practitioners, CSOs and frontliners to effectively invoke the Charter when supporting international protection applicants and develops materials to inform them of their rights. The Greek National Commission of Human Rights participated pursuant to its mandate to monitor human rights violations and advice on human rights policies.”

A side event focusing on the issue of child trafficking was held in the context of the 34th Session of the United Nations Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (UNODC). The event was addressed by the President of the Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR), Professor Maria Gavouneli.

The event took place in Vienna on Monday, May 19, 2025, and was organized by the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, in cooperation with the Embassy of Greece and the Permanent Mission of Greece to the International Organizations in Vienna.

Speakers at the event also included Mr. Manuel Albano, National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings, Portugal; Ms. Ruth Freedom Pojman, International Expert, Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC Network); Ms. Eva Gashi, Vulnerability and Victim Protection Expert on Trafficking in Human Beings and Other Forms of Violence, General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection, Ministry of Migration and Asylum; and Ms. Negin Torfinezhadian, Unaccompanied Minors’ Mentor, General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection, Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

The GNCHR extends its gratitude to the Greek Embassy in Vienna for the warm reception and welcome.

The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) welcomed on May 13, 2025, at its offices the AMKE Homo Digitalis, holding a meeting on issues of digital rights and artificial intelligence. The following issues were discussed among others: the recent developments in the field of new technologies, the European Union Regulation on Artificial Intelligence and its implementation, as well as the role of the GNCHR within the framework of the Regulation and after its designation as one of the authorities of article 77 of the Regulation (Powers of authorities protecting fundamental rights).

The meeting was attended by the GNCHR President, Ms. Maria Gavouneli, the 2nd GNCHR Vice President, Ms. Elli Varchalama, the GNCHR Human Rights Advisor, Dr. Christos Tsevas, the Co-founder and Executive Director of Homo Digitalis, Mr. Lefteris Chelioudakis and the Director of Human Rights & Artificial Intelligence of Homo Digitalis, Ms. Lambrini Gyftokosta.

The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) participated on 12 May 2025 in the English-speaking Postgraduate Program (LLM) in International and European Law of the Law School of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Dr. Christos Tsevas, GNCHR Human Rights Advisor made a presentation on the topic: “European Social Charter: New Developments, Business and Human Rights”.

The presentation focused on the European Social Charter (ESC), the monitoring mechanism, the competences of the European Committee of Social Rights (ECSR), the relationship of the ESC with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), the ECSR Conclusions on labour rights, the post-2022 changes to the relevant ECSR procedures and the 2024Vilnius Declaration, the ad hoc reporting procedure and the recent ECSR conclusions on the cost of living crisis reports and the Council of Europe framework on developments in the field of “Business and Human Rights”. A discussion was held on emerging challenges in the field of work from a social rights perspective, especially new technologies, artificial intelligence and digitalization, freedom of association and collective bargaining, new forms of employment, work-life balance and protection from all forms of harassment, including sexual harassment in the workplace.

The GNCHR's mission extends beyond the protection of human rights—it is also dedicated to their promotion towards eradicating stereotypes and preventing violations. In line with this commitment, the National Commission consistently responds to requests for training across various professional sectors.

On 8 May 2025, Eva Tzavala, Coordinator of the Scientific Staff, participated in a workshop as part of a programme aimed at enhancing the Hellenic Police’s capacity to combat hate crimes and hate speech. Her presentation focused on the pivotal role of civil society organisations in preventing, documenting, and raising awareness of hate crimes and hate speech, as well as in protecting and supporting victims.

For more information on this programme you are invited to visit https://nohatepolice.eu/

The Greek National Human Rights Commission (GNCHR) responded with its contribution to the call for input of the Special Rapporteur on the human right to a healthy environment regarding environmental impact assessments, strategic environmental impact assessments and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

The purpose of the input was to inform the thematic report of the Special Rapporteur on the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment to be presented to the United Nations General Assembly eightieth session, regarding environmental impact assessments (EIA) and strategic impact assessments (SEA), as an obligation to respect, protect and fulfil human rights, including the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The contribution needed to be concise (2,500 words) and answer all or only some of the questions.

Kindly find the written contribution of the GNCHR here.

More information on the call for input of the Special Rapporteur and the detailed questions of the questionnaire can be found here.

On 23 and 24 April 2025, a Parliamentary Conference on envisioning effective public policy to prevent and address cases of missing migrants took place in Strasbourg, France  with the participation of Members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Migrants, the International Organization for Migration, the International Red Cross, academics, national authorities and civil society organizations representing victims and their families. The Parliamentary Assembly adopted last year Resolution 2569/2024 on missing migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (https://pace.coe.int/en/files/33815/html ) and its Recommendation 2284/2024.  For more information visit the conference website: https://pace.coe.int/en/pages/conferencemissingmigrants

 Greece was represented at the Parliamentary Conference by the judicial and police authorities, who presented good practices in the collection of data for the identification of missing persons and the judicial investigation of missing persons cases.  At the invitation of the Special Rapporteur of the Parliamentary Assembly Resolution, Eva Tzavala, Coordinator of the Scientific Staff, participated in the proceedings of the conference on behalf of the GNCGR, who pointed out the special role and added value of national human rights institutions in preventing the phenomenon and effectively addressing it by strengthening cooperation between the Council of Europe, national authorities and civil society at national level.

 The GNCHR contributed to the documentation of the Special Rapporteur's report which formed the basis of the resolution (https://www.nchr.gr/ta-nea-mas/1715-episkepsi-voulefti-tis-k-s-tou-symvouliou-tis-evropis-stin-eeda-gia-zitimata-agnooymenon-metanaston.html  ) and has been consistently monitoring the issue of the treatment of missing migrants and the rights of their families through its recommendations and interventions. See also the relevant Council of Europe press release: https://pace.coe.int/en/news/9872/public-policy-to-prevent-and-address-cases-of-missing-migrants-a-collective-will-of-the-46-is-needed