AFTER 6 MONTHS IN PRISON ANDREW SYMEOU ONCE AGAIN REFUSED BAIL

For Immediate Release

Andrew Symeou (a 21 year old student from Enfield) has already been held for over six months in a Greek jail since his extradition last July. The judicial council of Zykynthos has now refused him bail for the third time. No trial date has been set and Andrew could be forced to spend another six months in prison before he has the chance to clear his name.

Jago Russell, Chief Executive of Fair Trials International, said:
“Andrew Symeou and his family have been put through a living hell. This latest decision means their ordeal could continue for many more months. We are calling on the Greek courts to set a trial date as soon as possible so this young man can finally clear his name.”

Andrew has already been denied bail twice on the grounds he a foreign national. The Greek Courts are now refusing bail on the basis that, if released, Andrew may commit a crime. There is no evidence to support this. Andrew has a spotless criminal record and has fully cooperated with the Greek authorities. The case against Andrew is built on mistaken identity, conflicting evidence and a flawed police investigation involving the violent intimidation of witnesses. Fair Trials International is calling on Greece to grant Andrew bail, set a date for his trial, and investigate claims of evidence fabrication against Zante police.

Contact 020 7822 2370 or 07885 466 206

Notes to Editors

1. Background
   Andrew is a 21 year old British man from Enfield in North London. In July 2007, he went on holiday with friends to Zante, Greece. While Andrew was staying in Zante another young British man, Jonathan Hiles, fell off an unguarded stage platform in a night-club, became unconscious and tragically died two days later from his head injury. Andrew is accused of having struck Mr Hiles and caused him to fall. But Andrew is adamant that he was not even in the night-club at the time – and many witnesses have since confirmed this.
    
2. Review of Andrew’s Pre-trial Detention
   The recent hearing, held on Friday 15th January 2009, was an in camera session before the Judicial Council of Zante about the prolongation of Andrew’s detention. The court refused Andrew bail, deciding he could be held for another 6 months whilst awaiting trial. The reason given was that, if released, Andrew might commit further crimes.
   The decision was delivered to Andrew on 20th January 2010 via fax in Greek, despite repeated requests for decisions to be sent to Andrew’s lawyer in Greece. No English translation was provided and a prison guard had to brief Andrew on the content of the decision.
    
3. Flawed Investigation
   Two of Andrew’s friends were interviewed by Greek police after Andrew himself had left Zante. These young men have reported that they were subjected to brutal treatment by the police, who held them for 8 hours without food or water. While in custody they report being beaten, punched, slapped and threatened by the officers until they gave statements implicating Andrew. They immediately retracted the statements on their release and informed consular officials about the treatment they received.
    
4. Mistaken identity
   Witnesses to the incident describe the attacker as tall and blonde with scarred skin. Andrew is black-haired and had a beard and a moustache.
   
   A criminal complaint was launched in late 2009 claiming that Greek police fabricated evidence and lied under oath in order to frame Andrew. There is strong evidence that witness statements were manufactured by Zante police. The same police officers were reported as taking statements in two different places at the same time and witnesses gave word-for-word identical statements. CCTV footage showing those involved in the incident leaving the nightclub has also been deleted and is not available to use in Andrew’s defence.
    
5. Transfer to a Maximum Security Prison pending trial
   In December Andrew was transferred from a Young Offenders Institution to Korydallos prison, a maximum security facility, having recently turned 21 years of age. Previously described by Amnesty as the worst prison in Europe, last year a British man, David Daubney, was found dead in Korydallos prison. The European Court of Human Rights has condemned the prison conditions there as degrading and inhumane
    
6. Bail Decisions
   Andrew was first denied bail on 27 July 2009. His appeal against this decision was rejected on 14 September 2009. Fair Trials International has lodged an urgent application to the European Court of Human Rights claiming that Greece’s handling of Andrew Symeou’s case is in violation of European law. In particular, Greece’s refusal to grant Andrew bail on the grounds he is not a Greek national is unjustified and discriminatory.