Symeou Family to Meet PM or Deputy PM ahead of Extradition Review

For Immediate Release
 

It has been over a year since Andrew Symeou was extradited to Greece under Europe’s fast-track extradition regime. He spent nearly a year in prison before finally being granted bail in June. No trial date has been set and Andrew is unable to leave Greece. After a question from Andrew’s MP (Nick de Bois MP) at Prime Minister’s questions today, the Deputy Prime Minister has agreed to a meeting with the Symeou family with either himself or the Prime Minister.

Jago Russell, Chief Executive of Fair Trials International, has said:
“Europe’s fast-track extradition system was designed to deliver justice but, as Andrew Symeou’s case demonstrates, has also caused serious cases of injustice. We hope that the Symeou family’s meeting at Number 10 will bring home the importance of building crucial safeguards into these laws and encourage the UK Government to help end this family’s horrendous ordeal.”

Andrew Symeou was extradited to Greece in July 2009, despite compelling evidence of mistaken identity and the violent mistreatment of prosecution witnesses by Greek police. Fair Trials International is challenging Andrew’s treatment following his extradition in the European Court of Human Rights and has called on the Greek authorities to set a trial date as a matter of urgency. Andrew’s parents have today written to the Prime Minister (the text of the letter is attached).

For more information please contact Fair Trials International on +44 (0)20 7822 2370 or +44 (0)7950 849 851

Notes to Editors

1. Request for Meeting at Number 10
   Nick de Bois today raised Andrew’s case during Prime Minister’s questions, arguing that this case amongst others calls for an urgent review of the European Arrest Warrant scheme and asking for a meeting with the Symeou family. In response, the Deputy Prime Minister referred to the announced review of the UK’s extradition arrangements and said that either he or the Prime Minister would be happy to meet the Symeou family. Please find below the text of a letter sent by Andrew’s parents to the Prime Minister is attached.
    
2. Background
   In July 2007, Andrew Symeou 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 causing him to fall. However, witnesses have confirmed Andrew was not in the club at the time. Two of Andrew’s friends were interviewed by Greek police after Andrew himself had left Zante. These young men 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 were beaten, punched, slapped and threatened by the officers until they gave statements implicating Andrew in Mr Hiles’ death. Andrew’s friends immediately retracted the statements on their release and informed consular officials about the treatment they received. 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 been deleted and is not available to use in Andrew’s defence.
    
3. Extradition
   Despite the serious flaws with the case against him, the British courts refused to stop Andrew’s extradition. On 1 May 2009, the High Court decided that Andrew Symeou should be extradited to Greece to face trial under a European Arrest Warrant. Andrew applied for leave to argue in the House of Lords that he should not be extradited as the main evidence against him was obtained through police brutality. Although the High Court agreed that the case raised a point of public importance, the House of Lords refused to hear the appeal, ending any chance of the British courts protecting Andrew against extradition. Andrew Symeou was extradited to Greece on 23 July 2009.
    
4. Delays, Denial of Bail and Discrimination
   Andrew spent 10 months in appalling prison conditions in Greece and was denied bail on the basis that he is not a Greek resident. A trial date was set for 4 June 2010 after Andrew had spent nearly a year in prison, 6 months of which were spent in the infamous high security Korydallos prison. He was only granted bail, in June 2010, after his trial was adjourned due to the Prosecution’s failure to ensure their witnesses had received the court summons to make them aware of the trial date. Andrew has had no opportunity to present his defence case and still no trial date has been set. Fair Trials International and the AIRE Centre jointly sent an application to the European Court of Human Rights in December 2009 asking for it to deal with Andrew Symeou’s case as a matter of urgency. The application argued that Greece has violated Andrew’s basic human rights.