A new report published by Human Rights Watch (HRW) has delivered a scathing assessment about the state of press freedom and the difficulties facing journalists in Greece.
The report. “From Bad to Worse: The Deterioration of Media Freedom in Greece“, is based on personal testimonies and documents “pervasive and deliberate restrictions on journalism in Greece” that create an environment in which “critical reporting is stifled and self-censorship becomes the norm”.
It also notes that “journalists face state surveillance, harassment and intimidation by pro-government actors and abusive lawsuits by politicians, which threaten democracy and the rule of law.”
The international NGO recommends that the European Union monitor the situation in Greece to ensure progress is made towards freedom of the press and that democratic values are upheld.
This is the second negative report in as many days about Greece and the rule of law.
A Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report published on 2 May has provoked a heated political debate in the country with the government fighting back.
“The only truth about press freedom in all EU countries is reflected annually in the European Commission’s Annual Rule of Law Report, which includes a special section on media and press freedom,” government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said.
Based on personal testimonies
Greece is facing a media freedom crisis “as a result of actions and omissions by the Greek government that threaten democracy and the rule of law,” HRW said.
Their research is based on interviews with 26 journalists working for various media outlets, along with academics, lawyers and media experts.
HRW interviewed journalists working in print, electronic media, television and radio, for public, private and independent media, foreign correspondents and freelancers.
Reports and other documents were also analysed and contacts were made with relevant bodies.
Twenty-two journalists described an increasingly hostile work environment, while six reported specific cases of harassment by high-level government officials related to their reporting.
“Few journalists were willing to report, fearing reprisals,” the survey authors noted.
One independent foreign correspondent said: “Now I am thinking of leaving the country. I really am. I just don’t see the point in subjecting myself to this level of stress. Stories matter, but the level of violence seems to have gotten worse.”
A journalist with over 25 years of experience at a major Greek private television channel said: “What you say on TV is so controlled that you have no freedom. The control is done by those in high places…Everything is controlled. What you say, how you say it.”
A lack of colour
The colours used to describe the situation in Greece are dark: the media landscape in Greece is characterised by a high concentration of ownership, with a few powerful individuals controlling many agencies. Many of them have ties to the ruling party.
The report documents the hostile environment for independent media and journalists since the New Democracy government took office in July 2019, including allegations of harassment, intimidation, surveillance and abusive lawsuits, which contribute to self-censorship and freeze media freedom.
Human Rights Watch also found the use of state funds “to influence coverage and editorial influence in the public media, further exacerbating this climate,” stressing that these conditions undermine freedom of expression and the public’s right to information.
There is specific reference to PredatorGate. “In 2022, the government faced strong suspicions that it used Predator spying software to target, among others, journalists, resulting in a major surveillance scandal,” the report said.
In the investigation, seven of the journalists said they had evidence or strong suspicions of government surveillance, either through more traditional means, such as wiretapping, or by targeting with commercial spy software.
“This raises serious privacy and freedom of expression concerns and risks stalling reporting, as both sources and journalists fear for their safety,” it noted.
Among the anonymous testimonies is that of Stavros Malichoudis, a freelance journalist who discovered in 2021 that Greece’s intelligence service was spying on him.
“For many months I was in fear. In 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.
Human Rights Watch also found that the government exerted undue influence on state media, such as ERT and the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), undermining their independence. The government also used state advertising funds to favour pro-government media.
Another major concern is using the legal system against journalists, notably through abusive lawsuits, often known as SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation).
“The vindictive defamation lawsuits filed by Grigoris Demetriades, nephew of the Greek prime minister and a former high-ranking government official, against journalists who reported on the wiretapping scandal are an example of this trend,” the report said.
Moreover, “while recent amendments decriminalised ‘simple defamation’ (spreading a fact, even if true, that may be offensive), the laws still create criminal liability for ‘insult’ and ‘slander’,” it adds.
Human Rights Watch also found a pattern of attempts by the government and other authorities to undermine accountability. This includes invoking national security to prevent the disclosure of information related to the surveillance scandal, investigating whistleblowers, and an unwillingness to disclose details about the distribution of public advertising funds to the media.
Communication with the government
Human Rights Watch shared the findings of its investigation with the government and relevant authorities and media, and their responses are summarised in the report.
“While the government has identified some initiatives aimed at improving media freedom, it is not clear whether these actions will lead to meaningful change. The government’s overall response largely defends the status quo and downplays the seriousness of the problems Human Rights Watch documented,” the watchdog said.
The report also cites Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ rejection of the European Parliament’s resolution, saying the country’s rule of law is “stronger than ever” and that “Greece in recent years has often been the focus of slander” in response to criticism of his government’s human rights record.
“The Greek government’s dismissive response to the European Parliament’s legitimate criticism suggests that stronger action is needed from the European Commission,” said Hugh Williamson, director for Europe and Central Asia at Human Rights Watch.
“In particular, the Commission and the EU as a whole must monitor the situation closely and ensure that real progress is made on media freedom in Greece and that basic democratic values are respected,” he concluded.
