Europe
Greece.
The Greek Penal Code (Law 4619/2019) punishes failing to save another person from danger to life when this is possible without danger to one's own life or health, and separately failing to give requested help in an accident or common danger. Law 4873/2021 sets rules for registering and funding volunteer organizations and defines volunteer work as unpaid. The Income Tax Code reduces tax on donations to designated bodies.
Is there a legal duty to help a stranger?
YesArticle 307 of the Penal Code (Law 4619/2019), headed 'Failure to provide help' in the Greek text, punishes with imprisonment up to one year or a fine anyone who fails to save another from danger to life although able to do so without danger to their own life or health. Article 288 para. 2 punishes with a fine or community service anyone who, in an accident or common danger or common need, does not give help that was requested and that they could give without substantial danger to themselves.
Are people who help protected?
None foundNo Greek statute granting civil or criminal immunity to people who help in good faith was found in the sources consulted. Both Penal Code provisions above condition the duty on the helper not facing danger or substantial danger, which limits when failing to help is an offense.
How the government promotes giving and service
Ways to give and volunteer
Greece has many local volunteer groups and NGOs, and it relies on civil protection and Red Cross volunteers during wildfires and floods. Official registries are scattered, so verify a group yourself before giving.
Check a charity before you give
The ministry that has kept a registry of Greek NGOs; I could not confirm a single current public search page, so ask any group for its registration details.
Give your time
Give money, blood or a donation
In an emergency or a crisis
Before you act
- Be careful with unknown collectors and emergency appeals after fires or floods, and give through recognized bodies instead of personal accounts. Ask a local group for its legal registration before donating.
- Volunteers from outside the EU may need a permit, and rules for helping with refugee and migrant services are strict, so use organizations that work openly with the authorities.
This list covers a few national starting points, not every local group, and sites can change. Checked 2026-10-28. Listing an organization is not an endorsement, and none of them has endorsed this site. Some official sites block automatic checks, so a link may need a second try.
One thing worth knowing
Greece's Penal Code contains two separate failure-to-help provisions: article 307 for danger to life and article 288 para. 2 for accidents and common danger when help is requested.
What this does not mean
Not legal advice. Greek texts were read through a private legal portal because the official Nomothesia portal could not be reached; later amendments to the Penal Code or the Income Tax Code (including recodification) were not checked. Laws 5/2025 and 2646/1998 were not verified as volunteering laws and are not cited. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice, and it does not rank countries. No government named here has endorsed this site. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Statutes were read in public sources and may have changed. Last checked October 26, 2026.