E/CN.4/2003/24 page 37 was reportedly beaten again when he allegedly said that he would not sign anything in the absence of a lawyer. It is believed that he eventually signed an allegedly false deposition in which he confessed to the theft. Nikos Theodoropoulos was reportedly beaten as well. According to the information received, Nikos Theodoropoulos was acquitted on 6 August 2001 after the judge took into consideration his version of the facts and the allegations of ill-treatment. 2. Response of the Government of Greece dated 28 November 2002 57. Lazaros Bekos and Eleftherios Koutropoulous, both minor Romanies were arrested on 8 May 1998 at 12.45 a.m. by a police patrol in Mesolongi, while they were trying to burgle a kiosk. They were taken to Mesolongi police station and the day after, were brought before the competent prosecutor, who released them after fixing a date for their hearing. While the minors did not file a complaint during their detention or at the prosecutor’s office, after their release, they complained to the Helsinki Watch Greek Branch that they had been abused by police officers. The representative of this NGO accompanied both minors to the State Hospital of Mesolongi. A medical report of the examination of both minors stated that they were bruised. A second medical report, produced after a private doctor was consulted, indicated that the first minor had two ecchymoses and the second one had multiple ecchymoses inflicted by a battering object. Following a written denunciation by the NGO in question, an administrative inquiry was conducted. No definite conclusions could be drawn as to when, how and by whom the minors’ moderate injuries had been inflicted. Nonetheless, a disciplinary sanction was imposed on the Commander of the Security Department of Mesolongi for insufficient supervision and control of his subordinates, since their injuries had been probably inflicted during their detention, although the possibility that they had been caused during their arrest, in which citizens participated, cannot be ruled out. The sanction applied to the Deputy Commander was revoked after the minors testified under oath that he had not participated in their questioning. Criminal proceedings were instituted against three police officers. The case was brought to the Judicial Council, which discharged two police officers and committed to trial the Commander of the Police Station. He was later acquitted by a three-judge court of appeal in Patras, because it was ascertained that the injuries documented by the coroner were most probably caused during their arrest, as they both engaged in a violent fight with the owner of the kiosk. 58. Andreas Kalamiotis was arrested after police arrived at his home following a complaint by neighbours that he was disturbing their peace by playing loud music. The police officers advised him and three other persons who were with him to switch off the music because it was disturbing the neighbours. However, he refused and moved threateningly towards the officers, who withdrew to ask for help. Six patrol cars rushed to help them. When Mr. Kalamiotis saw them, he withdrew into his dwelling, while his three friends did not resist and were brought to the police station of Agia Paraskevi for identification and were subsequently released. 59. Mr. Kalamiotis finally exited his dwelling after being invited to do so by the police officers, but he turned against them and swore at them. When they tried to arrest him they met stiff resistance, which led to a fight. He was handcuffed and brought to the police station, where he was unfettered, only to be handcuffed again because he unsuccessfully tried to assault a policeman. The general impression was of a behaviour suggesting alcohol abuse.