Council of Europe calls for effective investigation of Pylos shipwreck; minister responds

Greece has a legal obligation to conduct effective investigations into the Pylos shipwreck, which resulted in the deaths of more than 80 people with many hundreds still missing, Europe's top human rights watchdog has said.

In a letter dated July 19 to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner Dunja Mijatovic said the authorities need to establish the facts and, where appropriate, to lead to the punishment of those responsible.

"The Commissioner expresses concern about reports of pressure having been exercised on survivors and about allegations of irregularities in the collection of evidence and testimonies, which may have led to a minimization of the focus on certain actors in this tragedy, including the Greek Coast Guard," a Council of Europe statement said.

"Expressing concerns at restrictions on survivors' freedom of...