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Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-30
CONTENTS
[01] ECHR ruling on migrant fruit pickers is a 'milestone', their
lawyers say
[01] ECHR ruling on migrant fruit pickers is a 'milestone', their
lawyers say
The ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Greece
on the case of forced labour in the strawberry farms of Manolada in
2012 is a "milestone" for similar conditions of forced labour which
unfortunately continue to exist, the lawyers of the organizations which
represented the Bangladeshi workers in the court said on Thursday at
a joint press conference in Athens.
The lawyers from the Greek Council for Refugees and Open Society Justice
Initiative said the decision is "the most important ever delivered for
workers' human rights, both in Greece and the rest of Europe".
Vasilis Kerasiotis, attorney for the applicants, and legal director of
the Greek Council for Refugees said Greek authorities knew that irregular
migrants worked in the fields. Policemen called on the local landowners
to pay the wages and even judges admitted that "everyone was at the
mercy of the farmers."
Kerasiotis and Simon Cox, attorney for the applicants and migration
lawyer at the Open Society Justice Initiative, said what those workers
now want from the Greek government is to be granted legal work permits
so that their employers can no longer blackmail and take advantage of
them and so that they may visit their home countries and return.
"The decision for Manolada is a great victory, but 'Manolada' continues
in Thiva, Argos, Arta and other parts of Greece," the workers said.
When the ruling is finalized by the Committee of Ministers of member
states of the Council of Europe three months from now, Greece will come
under probation until the decision has been implemented.
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