ATHENS: Greek authorities are investigating the death of a 37-year-old Pakistani migrant while in detention at a police station in central Athens, police said on Friday.

The body of Muhammad Kamran Ashiq was found early on Sept 21 by the duty police officer in the station. The cause of his death is still under investigation, police said. There was no formal reaction from Pakistan’s Foreign Office until going to press.

Greece’s police minister Michalis Chrysohoidis on Friday said the police investigation would be supervised by the Greek ombudsman’s office “so that no shadows remain” over the case.

Anti-fascist group Keerfa, which distributed the images, claimed he had been “tortured to death” inside an Athens police station after several days in detention.

In a statement, police said that Ashiq was detained on Sept 18 for resisting arrest after an alleged harassment incident, for which no lawsuit was filed.

They said that Ashiq, who was injured, was sentenced to several months in prison later that day for resisting arrest and causing damage to foreign property.

He was held at the police station pending his transfer to prison and was moved to another detention area, where there is no camera surveillance, after a brawl with other detainees, police said.

However, Ashiq’s family lawyer, Maria Sfetsou, provided a different arrest date.

She said Ashiq, who had a residence permit and was working as a delivery driver, was first detained on Sept 13, and was being transferred to different prison stations without being able to contact relatives or her.

“The time he sustained the bruises was during the period he was under arrest,” Sfetsou said.

Ashiq’s family said the father of three, who had lived in Greece for the past 20 years, died on Sept 21.

Greek police regularly face disciplinary procedures over alleged abuse that rarely result in punishment.

The Agios Panteleimon police station in Athens became notorious a decade ago for links to neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, which organised attacks on migrants in the area.

The Greek ombudsman will investigate the actions of police officers involved in the incident, the citizen protection ministry said on Friday.

Published in Dawn, September 28th, 2024