A new report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has carried out a scathing assessment on the state of press freedom and the difficulties faced by journalists in Greece.
The report. “”Bad in worse: the deterioration of media freedom in Greece“, is based on testimonies and personal documents” “omnipresent and deliberate restrictions on journalism in Greece” which create an environment in which “critical relationships are stifled and self -censorship becomes the norm”.
He also noted that “journalists are faced with state surveillance, harassment and intimidation of pro-government actors and abusive proceedings by politicians, who threaten democracy and the rule of law”.
The international NGO recommends that the European Union monitor the situation in Greece to ensure that progress is made to press freedom and that democratic values are confirmed.
This is the second negative report in as many days on Greece and the rule of law.
A reporters report withy Borders (RSF) published on May 2 provoked a heated political debate in the country, the government retalled.
“The only truth about the freedom of the press in all EU countries is reflected each year in the annual report of the European Commission Commission, which includes a special section on the media and press freedom,” said government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis.
Based on personal testimonies
Greece faces a media crisis in freedom “following actions and omissions of the Greek government which threaten democracy and the rule of law,” said HRW.
Their research is based on interviews with 26 journalists working for various media, as well as academics, lawyers and media experts.
HRW interviewed journalists working on the written press, electronic media, television and radio, for public, private and independent media, foreign correspondents and the self -employed.
Reports and other documents have also been analyzed and contacts have been established with relevant organizations.
Twenty-two journalists have described an increasingly hostile work environment, while six reported specific cases of harassment by high-level officials linked to their reports.
“Few journalists were ready to report, fearing reprisals,” noted the perpetrators of the investigation.
An independent foreign correspondent said: “Now I think about leaving the country. I am really. I do not see the point of subjecting myself to this level of stress. The stories count, but the level of violence seems to have worsened.”
A journalist with more than 25 years of experience in a large Greek private television channel said: “What you say on television is so controlled that you have no freedom. Control is done by those who are high … Everything is controlled. What you say, how you say.”
ADVERTISEMENTA lack of color
The colors used to describe the situation in Greece are dark: the media landscape in Greece is characterized by a high concentration of property, with some powerful individuals controlling many agencies. Many of them have links with the ruling party.
The report documents the hostile environment for the media and independent journalists since the government of the new democracy took office in July 2019, including allegations of harassment, intimidation, surveillance and abusive prosecution, which contribute to self -censorship and media freedom.
Human Rights Watch has also found the use of public funds “to influence coverage and editorial influence in public media, exacerbating this climate more,” stressing that these conditions undermine freedom of expression and public law to information.
There is a specific reference to Predatorgate. “In 2022, the government had to face strong suspicions that it used predatory spy software to target, among other things, journalists, which led to a major surveillance scandal,” said the report.
ADVERTISEMENTIn the investigation, seven of journalists said they had evidence or strong suspicions of government surveillance, either by more traditional means, such as electronic listening, or by targeting with commercial spy software.
“This raises serious problems of confidentiality and freedom of expression and risks of dropping out of relationships, because sources and journalists fear for their security,” he noted.
Among the anonymous testimonies, there is that of Stavros Malichoudis, an independent journalist who discovered in 2021 that the intelligence service of Greece was muddled.
“For many months, I was in fear. In the fear of meeting people, my sources and exposing them. It took me a long time to disengage from what happened and start reporting again,” he said.
ADVERTISEMENTHuman Rights Watch also noted that the government exerted an undue influence on state media, such as Ert and the Athens-Macedonian news agency (AMNA), undermining their independence. The government has also used state advertising funds to promote professional media.
Another major concern is to use the legal system against journalists, in particular through abusive prosecution, often known as SLAPP (strategic proceedings against public participation).
“The vindicative defamation prosecution deposited by Grigoris Demetriades, the nephew of the Greek Prime Minister and former high -ranking government official, against journalists who reported on the electronic listening scandal are an example of this trend,” said the report.
In addition, “although recent modifications have downgraded” simple defamation “(spreading a fact, even if it can be offensive), the laws always create criminal responsibility to” insult “and” slander “,” he adds.
ADVERTISEMENTHuman Rights Watch also found a model of government attempts and other authorities to undermine responsibility. This includes invoking national security to prevent the disclosure of information related to the surveillance scandal, investigate the whistleblowers and the reluctance to disclose details on the distribution of public advertising funds to the media.
Communication with the government
Human Rights Watch shared the conclusions of his investigation with the government and the authorities and the media concerned, and their responses are summarized in the report.
“Although the government has identified certain initiatives aimed at improving media freedom, it is not clear if these actions will lead to a significant change. The global response of the government largely defends the status quo and minimizes the severity of the problems that the watch on human rights has documented,” said the guard dog.
The report also cites the rejection by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of the resolution of the European Parliament, affirming that the rule of law in the country is “stronger than ever” and that “Greece in recent years has often been the objective of slander” in response to the criticism of the human rights record of his government.
ADVERTISEMENT“The disdainful response of the Greek government to the legitimate criticism of the European Parliament suggests that a stronger action is necessary for the European Commission,” said Hugh Williamson, director of Europe and Central Asia at Human Rights Watch.
“In particular, the Commission and the EU as a whole must closely monitor the situation and ensure that real progress is made on media freedom in Greece and that basic democratic values are respected,” he concluded.
