HC Deb 06 June 1945 vol 411 cc891-2W
Sir A. Beit

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he is aware of the arrest of Nicos Karayiannis, Secretary of the Middle East section of the Greek Maritime Union and of his transfer to an internment camp in the Sudan; and whether he can make a statement on the charge to be made against him.

Mr. Parker

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the end of the German war and the release of Fascists detained under the Defence Regulations, it is now intended to release the 35 Greek subjects in the Middle East and the three in East Africa detained under these Regulations; on what charges the secretary of the Middle East Branch of the Federation of Greek Maritime Unions, Karayannis, and the secretary of the Greek Liberation League, Zerbinis, arrested in Alexandria in April, 1944, are detained; if they are included in the 38; and if they are still in Sudanese camps.

Mr. Law

Of the 38 Greek subjects detained under Defence Regulations in the Middle East and East Africa a few will be released almost immediately. No decision has yet been taken about the release of the remainder, who are held on such charges as espionage. All these men are detained by the British authorities. Karayiannis and Zerbinis are not amongst the 38. The former is detained in the Sudan and the latter in Eritrea. Both of them are held by the Greek authorities as principal instigators of the mutiny which took place in the Greek Forces in April, 1944, but no legal charges have been preferred against them. Karayiannis will be repatriated to Greece with the other Greek subjects who are still held as a result of the 1944 mutinies. The date of repatriation will depend on the speed with which other classes of Greek subjects in the Middle East can return to Greece. Zerbinis is normally resident in Egypt and will be released locally when the others are repatriated.