Published on 6 April 2021

FIRST SECTION

Application no. 44758/20 Athanasios PANAYOTOPOULOS and Others against Greece lodged on 30 September 2020 communicated on 18 March 2021

SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE

The applicants, three Greek nationals belonging to the Roma ethnic group, allege that they were subjected to acts of police brutality amounting to ill-treatment and/or torture during their arrest, transfer to and detention at the police station. They also complain that the competent authorities failed to carry out an adequate investigation into the incident and that the impugned events were motivated by racial prejudice.

QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES

1. Were the applicants subjected to treatment contrary to Article 3 of the Convention as a result of the police officers ’ acts that took place during the applicants ’ arrest, transfer to and detention at the police station on 8 October 2016?

2. Given the applicants ’ Roma origin, did the treatment complained of demonstrate discrimination on the part of the State agents and was, in consequence, in violation of Article 14 taken in conjunction with Article 3 of the Convention?

3. Did the authorities conduct an effective and prompt investigation into the applicants ’ allegations, as required under the procedural head of Article 3 of the Convention? Have the authorities failed in their duty to investigate possible racist motives for the acts complained of, in violation of Article 14 taken in conjunction with Article 3 in its procedural aspect?

4. The respondent Government are requested to submit the documents relating to the administrative investigation.

APPENDIX

No.

Applicant ’ s Name

Year of birth /registration

Nationality

Place of residence

1.Athanasios PANAYOTOPOULOS

1984Greek

Aspropyrgos

2.Ioannis BEKOS

1989Greek

Aspropyrgos

3.Vasilios LOUKAS

1995Greek

Corinth