United States Department of State

Greece: Human Rights United States Department of State

Publisher Marketing: Greece is a constitutional republic and multi-party parliamentary democracy. In June 2012 the country held national elections, considered free and fair, and swore in a new coalition government composed of the New Democracy (ND), the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK), and the Democratic Left (DIMAR) political parties, with ND leader Antonis Samaras serving as prime minister. Following DIMAR's departure from the coalition on June 24, Prime Minister Samaras reshuffled his cabinet. Authorities maintained effective control over security forces. There were, however, allegations of some abuses by security forces. The most important human rights problems during the year involved unprovoked racist violence against migrants and individuals perceived to be foreigners; conditions in migrant detention centers and prisons; and discrimination against Roma and exploitation of Romani children. Other human rights problems included poor treatment and prolonged detention of undocumented migrants, limited access to the asylum application process, abuse of detainees by security forces, detention and deportation of unaccompanied immigrant minors, inadequate capacity to provide legal aid and social support for asylum seekers and refugees, restrictions on freedom of speech and religion, domestic violence, incidents of anti-Semitism, trafficking in persons, limits on the freedom of certain ethnic minority groups to self-identify, and discrimination against and social exclusion of the officially recognized "Muslim minority" in Thrace.