Arrr, the European court be sayin' Greece must pay up for blastin' a Syrian smuggler. Walk the plank, mates!
2024-01-16
Arrr! The European Court of Human Rights be swashbucklin' and ruling against Greece! They be claimin' that Greece be in the wrong, when they shot a poor Syrian soul durin' a chase on the high seas for a boat o' smugglin' migrants. Landlubbers be gettin' in all sorts o' trouble these days!
The European Court of Human Rights ruled against Greece in a case involving the shooting of a Syrian man during a coast guard pursuit of a migrant smuggling boat. The court ordered Greece to pay damages to the man's wife and children. The court stated that Greece had failed to provide an adequate legal framework concerning the use of firearms during coast guard operations, violating the right to life under the European Convention on Human Rights.The incident occurred in 2014 when the motorboat carrying the Syrian man failed to stop when ordered to by Greek coast guards. The motorboat's captain engaged in dangerous maneuvers, colliding with the coast guard patrol boat. The coast guard fired warning shots and shots at the motor, injuring two Syrians on board.
The Syrian man, Belal Tello, sustained a gunshot wound to the head and remained in intensive care until his death in December 2015. The court found that the level of force used by the coast guard was disproportionate and that they had not taken necessary measures to verify that no other passengers were on board before opening fire.
The European court also criticized Greek authorities' investigation of the incident. Refugee Support Aegean, a rights organization involved in the case, highlighted systemic deficiencies in the planning and implementation of coast guard operations.
The dangerous journey from Turkey's coast to Greek islands has been a major route for people fleeing poverty and conflict. Greece denies allegations of systematic illegal deportations by its coast guard.
Overall, the ruling highlights the importance of protecting human rights during coast guard operations and conducting thorough investigations into incidents at sea.