Galery

1

Anastasia Balezdrova

Shortly before the parliamentary elections in May 2012 the news that the police had seized a prostitute, a carrier of the AIDS virus, "exploded" in the Greek media space. The number of arrested women had reached 18 by the date of the elections, and all media had published their names and pictures.
 
The developments had provoked angry reactions from non-governmental organizations involved in the protection of HIV-positive people. However, serious charges were brought against the women and they were sent to the prison in Korydallos.

Few people in Greece remember them only a year after the developments. According to young director Zoe Mavroudi the story of these women should not be forgotten. In the documentary "Ruins" she tells the story of 31 women who were arrested, forced to be tested for AIDS and accused of felony, and whose photos and personal data had become public before a lawsuit against them.

The idea of the film

"The idea occurred to me when I saw this inhuman circus. I was shocked as a person by the actions of the authorities. I really could not believe my eyes and I had immediately perceived the developments as something that would change everything. It was a sign of how much my country has changed.
 
As a woman, I perceived them as an unprecedented case of turning women into a "target". I cannot think of another case in Greek history, at least over the past 39 years, when women have been affected in such a selective and brutal manner.

So, I decided to present the story in some way. At first, I did not know how far I would go because a documentary requires a lot of things. But the first thing is to take the decision to film it and I did so immediately."

The story of the women

The film presents interviews with two women and with the mothers of another two women. The other participants are members of non-governmental organizations involved in the fight against AIDS, members of the initiative for solidarity, the defender of one of the women, one journalist and doctors from two hospitals in Athens.

"The film does not contain portraits of the women and of their daily lives. We filmed the interviews but it was difficult to conduct them under these hard conditions and, in addition, we had very little time. They told us about a very traumatic experience and this required a lot of effort and attention on my part. The members of the initiative for solidarity with HIV-positive people under persecution helped complete the interviews. From the first moment they started to visit the prisons where the women had been sent, helping them in the fight with the judicial authorities and in connection with their stay in prison. They did not leave them until the last moment and continue to support women imprisoned in the wing for HIV-positive people."

Chronicle of events

"The case became public when the photo of a woman from Russia was published. It had appeared on the website of the police first and then subsequently in all media. The reports claimed that she had been caught in an illegal brothel on Acharnon Street. All this happened at the end of April 2012, a few days after the order issued by the Minister of Health at the time, Andreas Loverdos. In practice, it allowed discrimination of vulnerable groups affected by different viruses, including HIV. A few days later a massive operation had apprehended hundreds of women. Policemen had taken them to police stations, subjecting them to the so-called rapid test, which is actually the first stage of the process to determine whether a person is a carrier of the AIDS virus. In this case, it was announced, only on the basis of the rapid test, that the women were HIV positive. 31 women were photographed, appeared before the investigator and detained while awaiting trial. They were charged with inflicting severe intentional injury to the degree of felony and with illegal prostitution. After several weeks in custody the women were transferred to the prison in Korydallos where they spent 10 months, the last of them being released this March.

An important element in the film is constituted by the words of the lawyer who states that an attempt was made at first to announce that the women were of foreign origin. It turned out that 70-80% of them were of Greek origin and were not prostitutes which shows that racism against women from the Eastern Bloc still exists in Greek society. The Minister’s statements were in the same vein, namely that women from sub-Saharan Africa carried the AIDS virus and spread it through prostitution. But, as one of the participants in the film says, "The HIV virus is not as aggressive as the authorities in this case."

Charges and prison

According to the director, the apprehended women are not prostitutes and they had not been caught in illegal brothels. "They were arrested while they were in central locations in Athens. One of them told me that she had been out to buy something to eat and another one that she had taken a drug dose a little earlier. The policemen had approached them and told them to go to the police station for their personal data to be checked. In fact we are talking about a situation that does not indicate in any way that the women are prostitutes. The majority of them are drug addicts, homeless and have serious health problems. All the women to whom I spoke while filming the documentary told me that they had been treated very badly. Although the conditions in the prison have been improved after the intervention of the activists, we are talking about serious violations of their human rights and honour, and of medical confidentiality, including the fact that their data and photos had been made public. Many of them had been aware of this when they had appeared before the magistrate to testify." The women also said that the mistreatment had continued in the prison where there had been no appropriate conditions for the acceptance of HIV-positive people and of drug addicts in a state of drug withdrawal, nor had they been provided with the necessary medical tests. "The whole story is very cynical - from the organization of the operation to the attitude towards the women, from the time of their capture to their entry into prison."

Why "Ruins"?

"There is an expression that we use in Greece for the homeless and drug addicts, for the people who live outside society. It is "human ruins". In Greece where, in times of crisis, we are all potential members of vulnerable groups because of the dire state of the country and of the health care system, it is very interesting that we call the people experiencing these specific problems in this manner. Another interesting element is that the expression exists in a country that is known for its ancient ruins. At the same time, there are increasingly frequent signs of abandonment such as empty shops, parks, whole neighbourhoods. So I think the story of these women is part of Greece’s history in times of crisis."

"Ruins" is the first film by Zoe Mavroudi who is a stage actress, author of theatre plays and film scripts. She says about herself, "Different topics concern me more from the viewpoint of an actor and writer, but I saw that a documentary would be the best tool to present the story in this case. Generally speaking, the main topic I am working on is related to the so-called "women's issues" although this definition is not correct in my opinion. Everything that concerns women concerns other people too. In this case, we see how the attitude towards these women reflects the problems in Greece. They affect all of its citizens despite the fact that women are an easier "target" and the story looks like an isolated case and tactic."

 
According to the director, the interest in the film is great. "The political crisis in Greece has aroused the interest of many people, especially in Western Europe. Another reason is the fact that this case is about the criminalization of AIDS and about the persecution of HIV-positive people on the basis of inconsistent data. Many activists, dealing with the protection of HIV-positive people, show great interest in it." It is worth noting that the women and the non-governmental organizations have filed, in Greek and European courts, claims against the attitude of the authorities towards them.

After its premiere in Greece the film will be presented in London. It will also take part in international documentary festivals in Australia and Canada.