Police Officer Sentenced for Killing Romani Man in Greece

10 May 2003

Research conducted by the ERRC in partnership with the Athens-based non-governmental organisation Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), revealed that on March 3, 2003, the Three Member Circuit Appeal Court of Levadeia upheld the inadequate April 17, 2002 decision of the Three Member Misdemeanours Court of Levadeia, sentencing Officer Dimitrios Trimmis to two years imprisonment, suspended for three years. Officer Trimmis was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in connection with the November 20, 1996, shooting death of Mr Anastasios Mouratis, a 45-year-old Romani man. Mr Mouratis, father of six, was shot dead while lying on the ground face down and unarmed after police had set up a roadblock to catch another Romani man suspected of murder (further information on the case is available on the ERRC website at:

- First Ever Conviction of a Greek Policeman for Abuse of Roma and

- Police Excesses against Roma in Greece ). Although the sentence is highly inadequate considering the crime, the ruling is landmark in Greece, in that it is the first ever conviction of a police officer for abuse of Roma. The ERRC and GHM provided legal assistance to the victim's family.
 

(ERRC, GHM)