Council of State finds 4-day ban on rallies lawful

Greece’s highest administrative court, the Council of State (CoS), ruled on Thursday that a Greek Police (ELAS) to ban on rallies ahead of the anniversary of the 1973 Polytechnic student uprising on November 17 was justified for reasons of public interest and the protection of public health.

With its ruling, taken by the CoS plenum, the court rejected an appeal submitted by the party MeRA25, human rights groups and other citizens to lift the ban. The court had previously also dismissed an urgent injuction filed by the same plaintiffs ahead of the Polytechnic annual march.

The court decided that the measure in question was “indeed strict but necessary for the protection of public health…due to extremely urgent reasons.”

The judges also noted that the ban “is completely temporary and, in view of the specific situation, a reasonable duration.”