17 rights groups seek EC intervention to protect freedom of expression in Greece

By Magda Panoutsopoulou

ATHENS (AA) – Seventeen international and local human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, called on the European Commission (EC) on Tuesday to take immediate action in response to Greece's deteriorating freedom of expression, accusing the government of violating the rule of law.

In a joint letter to EC President Ursula von der Leyen, these rights groups accused Greek authorities of undermining the rule of law through surveillance of journalists, civil society organizations, and activists.

A statement issued by Human Rights Watch stressed EC chief to immediately take action against the Greek government.

The statement emphasized that the EC chief should take immediate action against the Greek government to ensure that Athens meets its obligations under the EU rule of law.

The government is alleged to be involved in major surveillance scandals targeting journalists, entrepreneurs, and political figures, including opposition party leader Pasok Nikos Androulakis, whose phone was allegedly hacked with Predator spyware. The scandal was revealed in 2022.

Thanasis Koukakis, an investigative freelance business and commerce journalist, was also cited in the letter as having had his digital devices infected with the Predator spyware.

Similarly, non-governmental organizations working on migration have criticized Greece for undermining the EU rule of law by imposing an "unreasonable burden," according to the statement.

“For the second year in a row, Greece came last among European Union countries in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) 2023 World Press Freedom Index,” HRW said.

Despite recommendations from the European Parliament's Committee of Inquiry, which has been investigating the use of Pegasus and other surveillance spyware, the Greek government has taken steps to deliberately reduce transparency, the watchdog claimed.

In addition, journalists who exposed the spyware scandal are facing multiple lawsuits by former officials with direct ties to the Prime Minister's office, the statement said, citing Grigoris Dimitriadis, who oversaw the operation of Greece's Intelligence Service (EYP) and resigned in 2022 after the spyware scandal was exposed.

Following these events, human rights and press freedom organizations have urged the European Commission to intervene and ensure that the Greek government complies with its obligations under the EU rule of law, it added.