Greece: soldier imprisoned for refusing to go to iraq

Since three days I am imprisoned in the prison of Korinthos. I am accused of desertion because I refused – with a public statement in 08/05/2003 – to follow the battleship “Navarino”, where I was serving as a 5 – year professional soldier, to its mission in the war on Iraq. In the morning of 13/09/2004, I presented myself on my free will to the naval court of Pireus hoping that the whole issue would be over. I was arrested, sent to the court and sentenced to 3 years and 4 months of imprisonment. The same morning I read in the newspaper that an American military that confessed to torture Iraqi prisoners was sentenced to 8 months of imprisonment.

My attitude was crystal clear from the beginning. I refused and I still refuse consciously to take part or to support in any way the merciless slaughter of the Iraqi people, the bombing of maternity clinics and open markets. I refused and I refuse to enter the dead end of violence and insanity. With my participation in the antiwar movement I joined my voice with the voices of millions of people from all around the world against the horror of war. My act was the least act of solidarity to the people that experience this situation. I choose not to acquiesce in this insane terror, not to compromise with the end of history.

I paid and I am still paying the price. However, I am sure that except for the justice of the state that convicted me, there is the justice of the people – the Greek people that crowded the streets during the demonstrations against this dirty war. This justice is more real and more important and has not given its verdict yet.

The past three days, I have been imprisoned at Corinth’s Civil Prisons. I was accused of being a deserter, because I refused by means of my public statement on May 8th 2003 to embark on frigate Navarino, which was destined for the Gulf War and on which I was assigned a five-year service as a volunteer. On Monday morning, September 9th 2004, I appeared willingly at the Piraeus Naval Court, hoping that my 16-month “hostage” situation would come to an end. There, I was arrested and driven to the five-member naval court, where I was given a jail sentence of three years and four months.

In the same morning, I read in the newspaper that an American soldier was given an eight-month sentence, although he had confessed to torturing Iraqi prisoners. My position was clear from the outset. I refused and still refuse, in all conscience and responsibility, to participate in or contribute by any means to the ruthless massacre of the Iraqi people and the bombardments of clinics and street markets. I refused and still refuse to take part in this never ending vicious circle of violence and insanity. Within the antiwar movement, I united my voice with the voice of millions of people all over the world against the terror of the war.

My action was a minimal sign of solidarity to all those who suffer every day under such circumstances. Ι choose not to acquiesce in this absurd terror and not to accept the end of history. I paid and still pay the price. Yet, I am confident about the justice of people, more than the state justice that sentenced me; there is the justice of the Greek people who flooded the streets by thousands against this dirty war; this justice is much more important and true, and it has not announced its verdict yet.

GREECE: Conscientious objector sentenced
to 3 years and 4 months in prison

Greek Conscientious objector Giorgios Monastiriotis, the first professional soldier who refused to be sent to the Persian Gulf in May 2003, was arrested on Monday, 13 September 2004, and immediately tried and sentenced. In May 2003 Giorgos Monstaritiotis joined the Greek Navy on a 5 years contract, refused to embark with the crew of the battleship "Navarino" on a mission to the Persian Gulf. He declared his immediate resignation from the Navy instead. The Navarino was sailing to the Persian Gulf as part of operation "Enduring Freedom".

Giorgos Monastiriotis gave the following statement prior to his refusal in May 2003: "Acting on the basis of my conscience, I refuse to take part or contribute by any means in the relentless slaughter of the Iraqi people. I refuse to take part in a war that is not ended, as even now after its official end people and among them many children are being killed. Even if this war is officially finished, many more are to come, as war is necessary for the expansion of the dominance of the ruling powers. I declare my immediate resignation from the Hellenic Navy, which is a mechanism that promotes inhuman practices through orders and hierarchy and acts as a means of extortion and repression of the movement and the uprisings of the people. My refusal is also the minimal act of solidarity due to the Iraqi people and to the peaceful sentiments of the Greek people."

Although Greece recognises the right to conscientious objection in principle - albeit with a lot of limitations and problems in practice - this does not apply to professional soldiers, who cannot claim their right to conscientious objection. Consequently, Giorgos Monastiriotis was arrested on Monday, 13 September, and court martialed. He was sentenced to 3 years and 4 months imprisonment, and is presently imprisoned in the city of Korinthos.

War Resisters' International calls for letters of protest to the Greek authorities, and Greek embassies abroad. A list of Greek embassies can be found at http://www.mfa.gr/english/the_ministry/missions/. You can send a protest email to Mr. Kostas Karamanlis, Prime Minister of Greece, at http://wri-irg.org/co/alerts/20040915a.html.