Greek transgender people are now included in racism and hate speech law

Just last year Planet Transgender documented the rounding up of Greek Transsexuals in the northern city of Thessaloniki. At that time the Greek government was conducting a brutal obscene campaign against trans community at the bequest of the Orthodox church.

What a difference a year can make.

Transgender Europe (TGEU) reports that.. “member organisation Greek Transgender Support Association (G.T.S.A.) has successfully, together with other NGOs, advocated for an inclusion of gender identity as a protected characteristic in the Greek ‘Anti-Racist’ law, adopted on Sept 10, 2014 in Athens.”

“The definition of violence or hatred-incited crimes now includes incitement to hatred, violence and discrimination against a person or a group of persons that are identified on the basis of inter alia gender identity. A transphobic motive leads also to increased sentences, which G.T.S.A. welcomes.”

The G.T.S.A.PRESS RELEASE: “Gender identity is included in the new Anti-Racist Law”:

Greek Transgender Support Association (G.T.S.A.) a recognized NGO that supports the rights of the trans community, is stating its satisfaction for the adoption of the so-called “anti-racism” law in the Greek Legal System which includes gender identity in the definition of violence or hatred instigated crimes. More explicitly it states that: Whoever intentionally, in public, by word of mouth, or through the press and the internet, or through any other means or manner, incites, causes, induces or instigates acts or actions that may lead to discrimination, hatred or violence against a person or a group of persons that are identified on the basis of race, color, religion, descent, national or ethnic origin or disability, sexual orientation or gender identity, so as to endanger the public order or pose a threat to life, freedom or physical integrity of the above mentioned persons, shall be punished with a three (3) months to three (3) years imprisonment sentence and a fine of 5,000-20,000 Euros. Also, according to Article 5 of this Law, these acts are ex officio prosecuted and the victim, is excluded from paying the relevant fee to the State at the time of the complaint, plus when he/she is present at the trial as plaintiff, while Article 4 outlines the responsibilities of legal entities or groups of persons at the commission of these offenses.

The full text of the Law (in greek): http://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/bcc26661-143b-4f2d-8916-0e0e66ba4c50/%20t-l328-pap.pdf.

The last sentence of Paragraph 3 of Article 79 of the Penal Code is deleted and substituted by the Article 81A as follows:

“Racist crime

If a crime is committed due to hatred bias on the grounds of race, color, religion, descent, national or ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability of the victim, the minimum custodial sentence is increased as follows:

A) In case of misdemeanor, where the anticipated sentence is from ten days to one year, the minimum custodial sentence is increased by six months and in other misdemeanor cases by one year. B) In case of felony, where the anticipated sentence is five to ten years, the minimum custodial sentence is increased by two years and in other felony cases by three years. C) The anticipated minimum fine for any crime is doubled up.

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