Page 38 of 46 about disability-related concerns in accessible formats. On January 21, Thessaloniki police arrested an owner and an employee of a care facility for those with disabilities on grounds they had abused a patient who was found restrained, in bad health and undernourished. On September 5, a man who press reported had an intellectual disability drowned at the port of Piraeus after crew members pushed him off the boarding ramp of a departing ferry. The victim attempted to board the ferry after boarding had concluded; the crew reportedly made no attempt to save him. The captain and three other crew members faced charges of manslaughter with possible malice, complicity in manslaughter, and dangerous interference in maritime transport. The minister of shipping and island policy resigned following the incident due to public protest of his comments on the incident. Most children with disabilities had the choice to attend either mainstream or specialized schools for specific disabilities through secondary education, including schools for the deaf. The ombudsperson continued to report staffing gaps in special education resulting in children with special needs being without a teacher for significant periods of time and the lack of sufficient facilities for handicapped children. On September 9, media reported on a court ruling that no private school could deny attendance to an autistic child. Persons with disabilities continued to have poor access to public buildings, transportation, and public areas, although such access was required by law. Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2023 United States Department of State • Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor