INkantolo Ephakeme YaseYurophu Isekela Ilungelo Lokushumayela EGrisi

KUNGANI kumelwe ukuba umuntu onconywa omakhelwane bakhe aboshwe izikhathi ezingaphezu kuka-60 kusukela ngo-1938? Kungani kumelwe ukuba lomninisitolo othembekile ovela esiqhingini saseGrisi eCrete alethwe phambi kwezinkantolo zaseGrisi izikhathi ezingu-18 futhi adonse iminyaka eyisithupha ejele? Yebo, kungani kumelwe ukuba lendoda ekhuthele enomkhaya, uMinos Kokkinakis, ihlukaniswe nomkayo nabantwana abayisihlanu futhi idingiselwe eziqhingini ezihlukahlukene zokujezisa?

Imithetho eyabekwa ngo-1938 nango-1939 enqabela ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo iyona ebangela lokhu. Lemithetho yamiswa umashiqela ongumGreki u-Ioannis Metaxas, owayesebenza ngaphansi kwethonya leSonto Lobu-Orthodox laseGrisi.

Ngenxa yalomthetho, kusukela ngo-1938 kuya ku-1992, kwaboshwa oFakazi BakaJehova abangu-19 147, futhi izinkantolo zakhipha izigwebo ezenza ingqikithi yeminyaka engu-753, engu-593 yayo eyadonswa ngokoqobo. Konke lokhu kwenziwa ngoba oFakazi baseGrisi, njengakwezinye izindawo, balandela iziyalezo zikaJesu Kristu ‘zokwenza izizwe zonke abafundi, bazifundise ukugcina konke’ abayale ngakho.—Mathewu 28:19, 20.

Kodwa ngo-May 25, 1993, kwaba nempumelelo enkulu ekutholeni inkululeko yokukhulekela! Ngalolosuku i-European Court of Human Rights eStrasbourg, eFrance, yasekela ilungelo lesakhamuzi esingumGreki lokufundisa abanye izinkolelo zaso. Ngokwenza isinqumo esinjalo, lenkantolo ephakeme yaseYurophu yanikeza izivikelo ezibanzi zenkululeko yenkolo ezingaba nethonya elinzulu ekuphileni kwabantu yonke indawo.

Ake sihlolisise izenzakalo, kuhlanganise nokululazwa kwesakhamuzi esisodwa nje kuphela esingumGreki esabhekana nakho, okuye kwaholela kulesinqumo sasenkantolo esibalulekile.

Okwenzeka Ngaphambili

Ngo-1938 lesisakhamuzi, uMinos Kokkinakis, saba uFakazi kaJehova wokuqala ukuba aboshwe ngaphansi komthetho waseGrisi owenza ukuba ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo kube yicala lobugebengu. Ngaphandle kokuqulwa kwecala, sathunyelwa ukuba siyodonsa izinyanga ezingu-13 ekudingisweni esiqhingini i-Aegean sase-Amorgos. Ngo-1939 sagwetshwa kabili futhi saboshwa izinyanga ezimbili nengxenye isikhathi ngasinye.

Ngo-1940, uKokkinakis wadingiselwa esiqhingini saseMelos izinyanga eziyisithupha. Ngonyaka owalandela, phakathi neMpi Yezwe II, wavalelwa ejele lombutho wezempi e-Athens izinyanga ezingaphezu kuka-18. Ngokuphathelene nalesosikhathi, uMinos uyakhumbula:

“Ukuntuleka kokudla ejele kwaya kuba kubi kakhulu. Saba buthakathaka kangangokuba sasingakwazi ukuhamba. Ukuba kwakungebona oFakazi basezindaweni zase-Athens nasePiraeus ababesinika ukudla kulokho okuncane ababenakho, ngabe safa.” Kamuva, ngo-1947, waphinde waboshwa futhi wadonsa ezinye izinyanga ezine nengxenye ejele.

Ngo-1949, uMinos Kokkinakis wadingiselwa esiqhingini saseMakrónisos, okuyigama eliletha imibono esabekayo ezingqondweni zamaGreki ngenxa yejele elilapho. Phakathi kweziboshwa  ezingu-14 000 ezazivalelwe eMakrónisos, cishe ezingu-40 zazingoFakazi. I-encyclopedia yesiGreki, i-Papyros Larousse Britannica iyaphawula: “Izindlela zokuhlupha ngonya, . . . izimo zokuphila, okungamukeleki esizweni esiphucukile, nokuphatha konogada iziboshwa ngendlela ezehlisayo . . . kuyihlazo emlandweni waseGrisi.”

UKokkinakis, owachitha unyaka ejele laseMakrónisos, wachaza izimo ngalendlela: “Njengamalungu eNkantolo Yokuqulwa Kwamacala Ezihlubuki, amasosha ayephenya isiboshwa ngasinye kusukela ekuseni kuze kuhlwe. Kunzima ukukuchaza ngamazwi ukuhlupha ayekwenza. Iziboshwa eziningi zasangana; ezinye zabulawa; inani elikhulu lashiywa likhubazekile ngokomzimba. Njengoba sasizwa ukukhala nokububula kwalabo ababehlushwa phakathi nalobobusuku obesabekayo, sasithandaza njengeqembu.”

Ngemva kokusinda ebunzimeni baseMakrónisos, uKokkinakis waboshwa ezinye izikhathi eziyisithupha phakathi nawo-1950 futhi wadonsa izinyanga eziyishumi ejele. Ngawo-1960 waboshwa ezinye izikhathi ezine futhi wagwetshwa izinyanga eziyisishiyagalombili ejele. Kodwa khumbula, uMinos Kokkinakis ungomunye ophakathi kwamakhulu oFakazi BakaJehova aye aboshwa futhi afakwa ejele phakathi neminyaka edlule ngenxa yokuxoxa nabanye ngokholo lwawo!

Kwenzeka kanjani ukuba ekugcineni ukungabi nabulungisa okwesabekayo okwakwenziwa koFakazi BakaJehova eGrisi kulethwe phambi kwe-European Court of Human Rights?

Icala Eliwumhlahlandlela

Lelicala laqala ngo-March 2, 1986. Ngalolosuku uMinos Kokkinakis, owayengusomabhizinisi owayesethathe umhlala-phansi oneminyaka engu-77 ubudala, nomkakhe bavakashela ekhaya likaNkk. Georgia Kyriakaki eSitia, eCrete. Umyeni kaNkk. Kyriakaki, owayengumholi weqembu labaculi besonto lendawo lobu-Orthodox, watshela amaphoyisa. Amaphoyisa afika futhi abopha uMnu. noNkk. Kokkinakis, abathathwa ngalesosikhathi bayiswa esiteshini samaphoyisa sendawo. Baphoqelelwa ukuba bachithe ubusuku lapho.

Yiliphi icala ababekwa lona? Elifanayo nalelo eliye labekwa oFakazi BakaJehova izinkulungwane zezikhathi phakathi neminyaka engaphezu kuka-50 edlule, okungukuthi, babeguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo. UMthetho-sisekelo waseGrisi (1975), uMthetho 13, uthi: “Ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo kwenqatshelwe.” Cabangela futhi umthetho waseGrisi, ingxenye 4 ongunombolo 1363/1938 nongunombolo 1672/1939, owenza ukuguqulela umuntu kwenye inkolo kube yicala lobugebengu. Uthi:

 “‘Ngokuguqulela umuntu kwenye inkolo’ kushiwo, ngokukhethekile, noma yimuphi umzamo oqondile noma ongaqondile wokuzigaxa ezinkolelweni ezingokwenkolo zomuntu onemfundiso ehlukile engokwenkolo . . . , ngenjongo yokululaza lezo zinkolelo, kungaba nganoma yiluphi uhlobo lwesikhuthazo noma isithembiso sokukhuthaza noma ukusekela noma ngokunikeza usizo lwezinto ezibonakalayo, noma ngomgunyathi noma ngokusebenzisa kabi ukungabi nalwazi kwakhe, ukuthemba, ukuntula, ukuhlakanipha okulinganiselwe noma ukuntula okuhlangenwe nakho.”

INkantolo Yezigebengu yaseLasithi, eCrete, yaqula lelicala ngo-March 20, 1986, futhi yathola uMnu. noNkk. Kokkinakis benecala lokuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo. Bobabili bagwetshwa izinyanga ezine ejele. Ekubopheni lombhangqwana, inkantolo yathi abamangalelwa babeye bazigaxa “ezinkolelweni ezingokwenkolo zamaKristu obu-Orthodox . . . ngokusebenzisa kabi ukungabi nalwazi kwawo, ukuhlakanipha kwawo okulinganiselwe nokuntula okuhlangenwe nakho.” Abamangalelwa babuye babekwa icala “lokukhuthaza [uNkk. Kyriakaki] ngezincazelo zabo ezahlulelayo, zobuciko . . . ukuba ashintshe izinkolelo zakhe zobuKristu bobu-Orthodox.”

Isinqumo sadluliselwa eNkantolo Yokudlulisa Amacala yaseCrete. Ngo-March 17, 1987, lenkantolo yaseCrete yakhulula uNkk. Kokkinakis kodwa yagcina umyeni wakhe eboshiwe, nakuba yasinciphisa isigwebo sakhe sasejele saba izinyanga ezintathu. Isahlulelo sathi uMnu. Kokkinakis “wayesebenzise kabi ukungabi nalwazi [kukaNkk. Kyriakaki], ukuhlakanipha kwakhe okulinganiselwe nokuntula kwakhe okuhlangenwe nakho.” Sathi “waqala ukufunda izingxenye ezithile emBhalweni oNgcwele, lezo azichaza ngobuciko ngendlela lowesifazane ongumKristu, ngenxa yokuntula isisekelo esanele kulemfundiso, ayengenakuyibekela inselele.”

Eveza umbono ophikisayo, omunye wabahluleli bamacala adluliswayo wabhala ukuthi uMnu. Kokkinakis “kwakufanele naye akhululwe, njengoba kungekho bufakazi obubonisa ukuthi uGeorgia Kyriakaki . . . wayengenalo ulwazi lwemfundiso yamaKristu obu-Orthodox, njengoba ayeshade nomholi weqembu labaculi besonto, noma ukuthi wayenokuhlakanipha okulinganiselwe noma entula okuhlangenwe nakho, kangangokuba ummangalelwa wakwazi ukusebenzisa ithuba futhi . . . [ngaleyondlela] amkhuthaze ukuba abe yilungu lehlelo loFakazi BakaJehova.”

UMnu. Kokkinakis wadlulisela icala e-Court of Cassation yaseGrisi, iNkantolo Ephakeme yaseGrisi. Kodwa leyonkantolo yakwenqaba ukudluliselwa kwecala ngo-April 22, 1988. Ngakho ngo-August 22, 1988, uMnu. Kokkinakis wafaka isicelo kuyi-European Commission of Human  Rights. Ekugcineni isicelo sakhe samukelwa ngo-February 21, 1992, futhi wavunyelwa ukuba angene kuyi-European Court of Human Rights.

Okwavela Ecaleni

Njengoba iGrisi iyizwe eliyilungu loMkhandlu waseYurophu, ibophekile ukuba ivumelane neMithetho ye-European Convention on Human Rights. UMthetho 9 waleNhlangano ufundeka kanje: “Wonke umuntu unelungelo lenkululeko yokucabanga, unembeza nenkolo; lelilungelo lihlanganisa nenkululeko yokushintsha komuntu inkolo yakhe noma inkolelo nenkululeko, angakwenza eyedwa noma nabanye emphakathini naphambi kwabantu noma ngasese, ukuze abonakalise inkolo yakhe noma inkolelo, ekukhulekeleni, ekufundiseni, ekuqhubeni nasekugcineni imikhuba yenkolo yakhe.”

Ngaleyondlela, uhulumeni waseGrisi waba ummangalelwa enkantolo yaseYurophu. Wabekwa icala lokulephula ingcaca ilungelo eliyisisekelo lesakhamuzi esingumGreki lokuqhuba inkolo ngokuvumelana nomyalo kaJesu Kristu, okungukuthi ‘ukufundisa nokwenza abafundi.’ (Mathewu 28:19, 20) Ngaphezu kwalokho, umphostoli uPetru wathi: “[UJesu] wasiyala ukuba sishumayele kubantu, sifakaze.”—IzEnzo 10:42.

Umagazini okhethekile ka-1992 we-Human Rights Without Frontiers wawunesihloko esembozweni esithi “IGrisi—Ukwephula Ngamabomu Amalungelo Abantu.” Lomagazini wachaza ekhasini 2: “IGrisi iwukuphela kwezwe kuyi-EC [European Community (Umphakathi WaseYurophu)] naseYurophu elinomthetho wokujezisa ovumela ukuba kukhishwe izinhlawulo nezigwebo zasejele ukuze kunikezwe noma ubani okhuthaza omunye umuntu ukuba ashintshe inkolo yakhe.”

Ngakho manje kwase kunenjabulo nokulangazela okukhulu emkhakheni wezomthetho. Yini eyayizonqunywa ngokuphathelene nomthetho waseGrisi owenqabela ukuba umuntu afundise abanye izimfundiso zakhe?

Ukuqulwa Kwecala EStrasbourg

Ekugcineni lwafika usuku lokuqulwa kwecala—u-November 25, 1992. Kwakunamafu kulo lonke elaseStrasbourg, futhi amakhaza ayeshubisa umnkantsha, kodwa ngaphakathi eNkantolo abameli babethula izinkulumo zabo ngemfudumalo. Ubufakazi bathatha amahora amabili. Uprofesa Phedon Vegleris, ummeli kaKokkinakis, wangena ekujuleni kwendaba, wabuza: ‘Ingabe lomthetho ovimbelayo owenzelwe ukuvikela amalungu eSonto lobu-Orthodox laseGrisi ukuba angaguqulelwa kwezinye izinkolelo ezingokwenkolo kufanele uqhubeke ukhona futhi usetshenziswa?’

Ebonisa ukumangala ngalokhu, uProfesa Vegleris wabuza: “Ngiyazibuza ukuthi kungani lomthetho [wokuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo] ulinganisa imfundiso nobuphukuphuku nokungazi. Bengilokhu ngizibuza ukuthi kungani kufanele imfundiso ivikelwe ebuphukuphukwini, ekuhlulekeni okungokomoya . . . Lokhu kungokuthile okungiphazamisayo futhi kungethuse.” Ngokuphawulekayo, ummeleli kahulumeni wahluleka ukunikeza isibonelo esisodwa lapho lomthetho wasetshenziswa khona kunoma ubani ngaphandle koFakazi BakaJehova.

Ummeli wesibili kaKokkinakis, uMnu. Panagiotis Bitsaxis, wabonisa indlela umthetho wokuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo ongenangqondo ngayo. Wathi: “Ukwamukelwa kokuhlangana kuyisimo esidingekayo ukuze kube nokukhulumisana phakathi kwabantu abadala. Ngaphandle kwalokho, besiyoba ngabantu abangawuvuli umlomo, abacabangayo kodwa abangakusho abakucabangayo, abakhulumayo kodwa abangakhulumisani, abaphilayo kodwa abangaphilisani nabanye.”

UMnu. Bitsaxis wabuye wathi “uMnu. Kokkinakis walahlwa hhayi ‘ngenxa yokuthile aye wakwenza’ kodwa [ngenxa] ‘yalokho ayikho.’” Ngakho-ke, uMnu. Bitsaxis wabonisa ukuthi, izimiso zenkululeko engokwenkolo zazingazange zephulwe nje kuphela kodwa ziye zashatshalaliswa ngokuphelele.

Abameleli bakahulumeni waseGrisi bazama ukuveza isimo esihlukile kunaleso okuyiso ngempela, bezisholo ukuthi iGrisi “iyipharadesi lamalungelo abantu.”

Isinqumo

Lwafika usuku lokukhishwa kwesinqumo olwalulindelwe ngabomvu—u-May 25, 1993. Ekuvoteni  kwabahluleli abayisithupha bephikisana nabathathu, iNkantolo yanquma ukuthi uhulumeni waseGrisi wawephule inkululeko engokwenkolo kaMinos Kokkinakis oneminyaka engu-84 ubudala. Ngaphezu kokulwela inkambo yokuphila kwakhe yenkonzo yasobala, yamnikeza u-R42 500 oyisinxephezelo. Ngaleyondlela iNkantolo yayenqaba inkulumo kahulumeni waseGrisi yokuthi uKokkinakis noFakazi BakaJehova basebenzisa amaqhinga acindezelayo lapho bexoxa nabanye ngezinkolelo zabo.

Nakuba uMthetho-sisekelo waseGrisi nomthetho wasendulo waseGrisi ungase uvimbele ukuguqulelwa kwabantu kwenye inkolo, inkantolo ephakeme eYurophu yanquma ukuthi ukusebenzisa lomthetho ekushushiseni oFakazi BakaJehova akulungile. Akuvumelani noMthetho 9 we-European Convention on Human Rights.

Isinqumo senkantolo sachaza: “Inkolo yayiyingxenye ‘yalokho okwakusezingqondweni zabantu’ futhi kwakungenakwenzeka ukuba ingahlanganiswa ezinkulumweni zomphakathi.”

Umbono ofanelekile womunye wabahluleli abayisishiyagalolunye wathi: “Ukuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo, okuchazwa ‘njengentshiseko ekusakazeni ukholo,’ ngeke kube yisizathu sokujeziswa ngokwakho; kuyindlela—efaneleke ngokuphelele—‘yokubonisa komuntu inkolo yakhe.’

“Kulelicala lamanje owayefake isicelo [uMnu. Kokkinakis] wayeboshelwe nje ukubonisa intshiseko enjalo kuphela, ngaphandle kokwenza noma yibuphi ububi.”

Imiphumela Yesinqumo

Isiqondiso esicacile se-European Court of Human Rights siwukuthi iziphathimandla zikahulumeni waseGrisi kumelwe ziyeke ukusebenzisa kabi umthetho owenqabela ukuguqulelwa kwabantu kwenye inkolo. Kwethenjwa ukuthi iGrisi iyokwenza ngokuvumelana nesiqondiso senkantolo futhi iyeke ukushushisa oFakazi BakaJehova.

Akuyona injongo yoFakazi BakaJehova ukuba balethe izinguquko kwezenhlalo noma balungise isimiso somthetho. Ukukhathalela kwabo okuyinhloko kuwukushumayela izindaba ezinhle zoMbuso kaNkulunkulu belalela umyalo kaJesu Kristu. Nokho, ukuze benze lokhu, bayakujabulela ‘ukuvikela nokuqinisa ivangeli,’ njengoba kwenza umphostoli uPawulu ekhulwini lokuqala.—Filipi 1:7.

OFakazi BakaJehova bayizakhamuzi ezithobela umthetho kuwo wonke amazwe abahlala kuwo. Nokho, ngaphezu kwakho konke, babophekile ukuba balalele umthetho waphezulu njengoba ulotshwe eBhayibhelini Elingcwele. Ngakho-ke, uma umthetho wanoma yiliphi izwe ubenqabela ukuba bakhulume nabanye ngezinkolelo zabo ezisekelwe eBhayibhelini, bayaphoqeleka ukuba bathathe ukuma okwathathwa abaphostoli: “Simelwe ukulalela uNkulunkulu kunabantu.”—IzEnzo 5:29.

[Ibhokisi ekhasini 28, 29]

UKUSHUSHISWA OKWENGEZIWE OKUSHOSHOZELWA ABEFUNDISI

Imizamo yabefundisi eGrisi ‘yokusebenza okubi kungathi ngomthetho’ ibiqhubeka amashumi amaningi eminyaka. (IHubo 94:20) Esinye isenzakalo esiqhingini saseCrete siye saxazululwa muva nje. Emuva ngo-1987 umbhishobhi wendawo nabapristi abangu-13 babebeke oFakazi abayisishiyagalolunye amacala okuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo. Ekugcineni, ngo-January 24, 1992, lelicala laqulwa.

Inkantolo yayigcwele phama. Cishe abapristi abangu-35 base bekhona ukuze basekele ukukhishwa kwezigwebo. Nokho, izihlalo eziningi kakade zase zithathwe ngoFakazi ababezele ukuzokhuthaza abafowabo abangamaKristu. Ngisho nangaphambi kokuba kuqaliswe ngemicikilisho evamile, ummeli wabamangalelwa waveza amaphutha angokomthetho angathi sína ayenziwe umshushisi.

Umphumela waba wukuthi labo ababehileleke kulemicikilisho baphuma ukuze babambe umhlangano ngasese. Ngemva kwengxoxo yamahora amabili nengxenye, iNkosi Yenkantolo yamemezela ukuthi ummeli wabamangalelwa wayeqinisile. Ngakho-ke, amacala ayebekwe oFakazi abayisishiyagalolunye asulwa! Yanquma ukuthi kwakuzodingeka kuqaliswe kabusha ukuphanda ukuze kutholwe ukuthi abamangalelwa babenalo yini icala lokuguqulela abantu kwenye inkolo.

Ngokushesha ngemva kokuba isaziso senziwe, kwaba nenhlokomo yomsindo enkantolo. Abapristi baqala ukumemeza besongela futhi bethuka. Omunye umpristi washaya ummeli woFakazi BakaJehova ngesiphambano futhi wazama ukumphoqa ukuba asikhulekele. Kwadingeka ukuba amaphoyisa angenele, futhi ekugcineni oFakazi bakwazi ukuzihambela ngokuthula.

Ngemva kokuba icala selisuliwe, umshushisi womphakathi walungiselela icala elisha ngokumelene nalaboFakazi abayisishiyagalolunye. Icala labekelwa u-April 30, 1993, amasonto amathathu ngaphambi nje kokuba i-European Court of Human Rights ikhiphe isinqumo ecaleni likaKokkinakis. Nalapha futhi kwakukhona abapristi abaningi.

Abameli balabamangalelwa abayisishiyagalolunye bafaka isikhalo sokuthi abamangaleli boFakazi babengekho enkantolo. Lapho etatazela elungiselela icala elisha, lomshushisi womphakathi wayenze iphutha elingathi sína lokungabathumeleli abamangali amasamanisi. Ngakho abameli boFakazi bacela ukuba inkantolo isule icala ngesisekelo saleliphutha elingathi sína.

Ngenxa yalokho, abahluleli baphuma enkantolo futhi baxoxisana cishe isikhathi esingangehora. Ekubuyeni kwabo, iNkosi yeNkantolo, ikhothamise ikhanda, yamemezela ukuthi bonke oFakazi abayisishiyagalolunye babengenacala.

OFakazi eGrisi bagcwele ukubonga ngenxa yomphumela walelicala, nangesinqumo se-European Court of Human Rights esakhishwa ecaleni likaKokkinakis ngo-May 25 walonyaka. Imithandazo yabo iwukuthi ngenxa yalokhu kunqoba okungokomthetho, bayokwazi ukuqhubeka nokuphila kwabo kobuKristu ‘ngokuthula, ngokumesaba uNkulunkulu nangesizotha esipheleleyo.’—1 Thimothewu 2:1, 2.

[Isithombe ekhasini 31]

UMinos Kokkinakis nomkakhe