ATHENS, Greece (AP) — A leading human rights organization is urging Greece's new government to take "urgent action" to curb an "alarming" increase in attacks against Asian and African immigrants in the country's capital.
In a 100-page report issued Tuesday, U.S.-based Human Rights Watch said xenophobic attacks by gangs in Athens have increased over the past two years, leaving dozens of victims. It called on the government to create a national strategy to combat race-related crime, including obligatory training for police officers.
Greece, suffering a fifth year of recession, is the European Union's busiest transit point for illegal immigration. In recent parliamentary elections, the far-right Golden Dawn party — described by some as neo-Nazi and blamed for a rash of violence against immigrants — managed to win 18 seats.
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Online:
HRW Report: http://www.hrw.org/sites/default/files/reports/greece0712ForUpload.pdf
