The authorities have imposed 15-day prison sentences on conscripts who have taken part in anti-war rallies.
These unacceptable prosecutions and sentences imposed on conscripts who expressed their support for the people’s struggles and their opposition to the country’s involvement in imperialist wars, have been condemned by trade unions, university student unions, and other mass organizations.
As noted by the Greek Committee for International Détente and Peace (EEDYE): “The punishments imposed on conscripts for participating in protests or publicly expressing anti-war views constitute a direct attack on their democratic rights and confirm the attempt to impose silence within the Armed Forces”. It adds that “these are intimidation tactics aimed at silencing the voices of young people, the children of the people, who refuse to become accomplices in the war plans of foreign interests, or cannon fodder for the imperialists”.
EEDYE expresses its unwavering solidarity with the conscripts being persecuted and punished for their stance, emphasizing that “their stance is an example of dignity and responsibility towards the people, who are paying a heavy price for the country’s involvement in dangerous plans”.
In conclusion, it demands the immediate revocation of all sentences and prosecutions against the conscripts, the full guarantee of the democratic rights of the soldiers, and an end to all attempts at intimidation within the Armed Forces. It calls on the people and the youth “to intensify the struggle against wars and the country’s involvement in them; to demand the return of all military missions deployed abroad and the closure of foreign bases, which turn the country into a launching pad for war and a target for retaliation.”
