Beijing 2021 Olympics Acropolis Protestors’ trial set to take place on 17 November 2022
JUSTICE ABROAD
“Here When You Need Us”
Justice Abroad is assisting in two cases concerning activists who protested the Olympic flame lighting ceremonies for the Beijing 2021 Winter Olympics at Mount Olympia and the Acropolis in relation to the Chinese regimes’ ongoing genocide against the Uyghurs, the suppression of the freedom of the people of Hong Kong, and the ongoing oppression of the Tibetan people. Justice Abroad is working with top Greek human rights lawyer Alexis Anagnostakis.
The trial in relation to the protestors at the Acropolis is due to take place this Thursday 17 November 2022 at the City Courthouse (Protodikio Athinon) 10167, Evelpidon 16, Athens, 114 74, Building 12 room 46 at 9 am.
The Acropolis case relates to a protest on 17 October 2021, where Tsela Zoksang, an 18-year-old Tibetan-American activist, Joey Siu, a 21-year-old Hong Kongese-American activist, and a Vietnamese-American activist met at the Acropolis site in Athens. They hung a Tibetan flag and a flag in support of freedom in Hong Kong from scaffolding whilst chanting “Boycott Beijing 2022” and “Free Tibet.”
The protest at the Acropolis and Mount Olympia drew worldwide attention to the repression of the Uyghurs, Tibetans, and Hong Kongers. Chinese Police reportedly operated alongside Greek Police which caused concern that activists would be rendered to China given that Greece still has an extradition agreement with China despite the lack of any proper and objective Court system and the plethora of evidence that the Chinese authorities target and persecute individuals and groups based upon their ethnicity and religion or belief in democracy.
Greece’s close relationship with the Chinese regime, which operates in direct defiance of ancient Greek ideals about democracy and free expression, has been criticised after the Greek Government sold the strategic Piraeus Port to a Chinese state company meaning that China now controls Greece’s premier port.
Despite not causing any damage to the Acropolis site, Greek prosecuting authorities decided to charge the activists with the serious offence of attempting to “pollute, damage, and distort” a historical monument, a charge punishable by up to five years imprisonment under Greek law. The arrest and prosecution in this case, appear to be contrary to European Court of Human Rights’ strict view of attempts to restrict the important right to freedom of assembly, expression, and thought and conscience for non-violent protests. The European Court has stated that ‘Interfering with peaceful assemblies, save where there has been incitement to violence or a threat to democratic principles, does a disservice to democracy and even endangers it’ (Faber v Hungary).
In a further controversial action towards the activists, whilst they were detained in Greek Police Custody, a member of the Greek Security Police pretended that he was their Consul from the USA’s Embassy in order to elicit a confession from them in what is a direct breach of Article 36 of the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963[1] which provides for free communication between Consular Officer and their nationals whilst detained in foreign states. The right under Article 36 has been held by the International Court of Justice to be a state right, exercisable by the United States vis a vis Greece as well as an individual right of those detained.
Justice Abroad’s Michael Polak stated the following:
‘It is clear that the Greek authorities in this case are coming down with full force on non-violent protestors who were standing up against the commandeering of the Olympic ideals to promote a regime which persecutes Uyghur and Tibetans based on their religions and ethnicities and has destroyed the freedoms of the Hong Kong people, more than a hundred thousand of whom have had to flee their homes to seek refuge abroad.
The actions of the Greek authorities in this case appear to indicate that they are seeking to curry favour with the Chinese regime and are riding roughshod over the rights of the protestors in their attempt to do so.
We hope that the Greek courts will throw out this ridiculous case and if not, we remain confident that the European Court of Human Rights will hold that the prosecution and any conviction in this case is a breach of our clients’ rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
A previous press release from Students for a Free Tibet can be found here
Any request for comment from Michael Polak or for interviews with the activists can be made by emailing contact@justiceabroad.co.uk or by phone on +44 (0)203 488 2316
Notes to Editors and the Press
Please anticipate heavy traffic and difficulties on your way to Court. The day of the trial is the commemoration of the Students Uprising in 1974 and there will be demonstrations and marches throughout the city. Please allow extra time to get to Court.
Justice Abroad, www.justiceabroad.co.uk has been set up to help those trying to find their way through foreign justice systems with all the associated hurdles that presents, to represent those facing gross breaches of their human rights no matter where this takes place, and to advise and assist the victims of crimes as to how to achieve justice.
Justice Abroad, run by International lawyer Michael Polak, has assembled a team of top investigators, lawyers, and support staff to provide unparalleled support, advice and guidance, legal, advocacy, and investigatory service for your Justice Abroad issues anywhere in the world. The Justice Abroad team with their trusted international pool of multilingual experts, their networks, and media contacts and their well-documented determination to leave no stone unturned in the search for the truth and justice for families who have been denied it, are here to provide that much needed support for families and individuals in their time of need.
[1] Vienna Convention on Consular Relations 1963, 24 April 1963, 596 UNTS 261 <https://treaties.un.org/Pages/ViewDetails.aspx?src=IND&mtdsg_no=III-6&chapter=3&lang=en>