VZCZCXRO1859
PP RUEHAST
DE RUEHTH #1648/01 1781327
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271327Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5935
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ATHENS 001648 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
EUR/SE, DRL/CRA, G/TIP 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL KPAO GR HRIGHTS
SUBJECT: AMNESTY INT'L PROTEST OVER DETAINEES TURNS INTO 
PRODUCTIVE HUMAN RIGHTS DISCUSSION 
 
REF: STATE 26147 
 
ATHENS 00001648  001.2 OF 002 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY:  Two representatives from Amnesty 
International Greece (AI) met with poloffs June 26 to deliver 
1000 petitions addressed to President Bush which call for the 
closure of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay.  After 
poloff delivered reftel talking points in response to 
criticisms of the facility, the cordial meeting then moved on 
to an expansive, productive discussion on human rights 
concerns in Greece.  Meanwhile, there was a peaceful 
demonstration by about 20 AI members outside the embassy also 
calling for the closure of the detention center.  We expect 
continued, constructive collaboration with AI on human rights 
matters in Greece.  END SUMMARY. 
 
AI REPS PROTEST GUANTANAMO BAY CONDITIONS 
----------------------------------------- 
¶2.  (U)  President Gerasimos Kouvaras and Press Officer Nikos 
Matroulakis of the Greek branch of Amnesty International (AI) 
had a cordial meeting with poloffs June 26 to deliver "the 
first" of 1000 bright orange petitions to President Bush 
calling for the closure of detention facilities at Guantanamo 
Bay.  AI indicated that these petitions are the culmination 
of three years of calling for the closure of the facility, 
and mentioned that UN and EU experts and bodies, including 
the UN Committee Against Torture, had also called for the 
closure of the detention center.  In addition to the points 
made in the petitions from AI members and supporters in 
Greece (transcribed in pp 5), the representatives expressed 
concern that: 
-- the Department of Defense, rather than Justice Department, 
oversees the Guantanamo Bay facility. 
-- the standards of the Guantanamo Bay facility "fall outside 
of those considered by Geneva Convention to be legitimate 
detention conditions." 
-- the U.S. definition of torture falls short of the Geneva 
Convention definition. 
-- if the Guantanamo Bay facility should close, all detainees 
should be released or given a fair trial, and a similar 
detention facility should not be opened to replace it. 
-- independent UN inspectors should be allowed to investigate 
all allegations of torture or other mistreatment. 
-- detainees should be ensured recourse to legal procedures 
now and in the event of transfer to a other facilities. 
-- physical transfer of detainees should fall within 
international standards. 
 
EMBASSY RESPONDS 
---------------- 
¶3.  (U)  Poloff used "Rapid Response" and reftel points to 
describe U.S. policy on detainees, our commitment to respect 
detainees' rights, our work to improve detainee policies and 
procedures, and our attention to proper provisions for 
detainees.  AI listened attentively and respectfully to our 
points on Guantanamo, and afterward indicated that they would 
continue their petition campaign until the "necessary" 
changes were made at the detention center.  During the 
meeting, approximately 20 orange-clad AI members peacefully 
demonstrated for Guantanamo's closure outside the embassy. 
(Note: AI requested a June 26 appointment to coincide with 
the United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of 
Torture.)  AI Greece issued a press release stating that the 
petitions would be delivered to the embassy, but told us they 
did not have plans to share the substance of the meeting 
publicly. 
 
MEETING TAKES A USEFUL TURN 
--------------------------- 
¶4.  (U)  After hearing each other out on Guantanamo, AI and 
emboffs had a wide-ranging, hour-long discussion on mutual 
human rights concerns in Greece, including detention center 
and prison conditions (septel), violence against women, 
police corruption, conscientious objectors, and Roma rights. 
On trafficking in persons (TIP), AI reps noted that they want 
a study to be done to determine the scope of the TIP problem, 
an observation with which we enthusiastically agreed.  AI 
also mentioned their ability to dispatch some of their 4000 
registered members on trafficking awareness-raising or other 
projects.  We were given contact information for the Greece 
research team at AI headquarters in London, and will follow 
up with them. 
 
PETITION TEXT 
-------------- 
¶5.  (U) Begin text: 
 
The Honourable George W. Bush 
The President of the United States 
c/o US Embassy in Athens 
 
ATHENS 00001648  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
91 Vasilissis Sophias Avenue, Athens 10160 
 
Dear Mr. President, 
 
I am deeply concerned by the reports of torture and 
ill-treatment by US officials, or with their involvement, 
that continue to emerge from Guantanamo Bay.  Evidence 
suggests that these are far from isolated incidents. 
 
Mr. President, I urge you to: close the Guantanamo Bay 
detention facilities and charge the detainees under US law in 
US courts, or else release them; support the establishment by 
the US Congress of an independent commission of inquiry to 
investigate all aspects of USA's "war on terror" detention 
and interrogation policies and practices; request the 
Attorney General to appoint a special council to conduct a 
criminal investigation into involvement of administration 
officials in torture and ill-treatment; ensure that all 
US-run "war on terror" detention facilities are opened to 
regular, independent unannounced and unrestricted visits by 
UN human rights mechanisms. 
 
Yours sincerely, 
Name, Address, Signature, Date 
END PETITION TEXT. 
 
¶6.  (U) COMMENT:  Kouvaras and Matroulakis repeatedly 
expressed their appreciation for the meeting, and were 
enthusiastic to continue cooperation with poloffs on other 
human rights matters.  We were pleased with the constructive 
tone of the meeting, and believe AI Greece can be a useful 
ally on the human rights issues in Greece that we follow 
closely. 
RIES