(WAN/IFEX) – On 8 October 1998, WAN called on Greece to repeal its “wholly inappropriate” criminal libel law and protested against the recent convictions of several journalists. In a letter to Greek Prime Minister Konstantinos Simitis, WAN protested prison sentences handed down last month to six Greek journalists who were convicted of criminal libel. **New […]
(WAN/IFEX) – On 8 October 1998, WAN called on Greece to repeal its “wholly
inappropriate” criminal libel law and protested against the recent
convictions of several journalists. In a letter to Greek Prime Minister
Konstantinos Simitis, WAN protested prison sentences handed down last month
to six Greek journalists who were convicted of criminal libel.
**New cases and update to IFEX alert of 25 September 1998**
“We respectfully remind you that the criminal law is a wholly inappropriate
means of dealing with the issue of defamation,” and that such practice
contravenes international human rights agreements signed by Greece, said the
letter, signed by WAN President Bengt Braun. “We believe that a civil award
of reasonable damages is adequate and appropriate relief in all proven cases
of defamation, and urge you to do everything in your power to ensure that
these convictions are set aside,” the letter said.
On 21 September, a court in Salonica sentenced “Avriani” publisher George
Kouris, editor George Tsiroyannis and journalist Stelios Vorinas to four
years and 11 months in prison after their convictions of aggravated
defamation and insult of a local businessman and rival newspaper owner (see
IFEX alert of 25 September 1998).
On 17 September, journalist Makis Triantafyllopoulos of “Kalimera” was given
an eight-month suspended sentence for defaming Minister of Justice Evangelos
Yannopoulos.
On 3 September, Giorgos Kondyloudis, publisher of “Eolika Nea”, a daily on
the island of Mytilini, was sentenced to eight months in prison for
insulting deputy Franklinos Papadelis. The sentence was suspended while on
appeal.
Greece is a signatory of the European Convention for the Protection of Human
Rights. But WAN said criminal defamation laws contravene Article 10 of the
Convention.
“There can be none of the ‘freedom to hold opinions and to receive and
impart information and ideas without interference’ guaranteed by Article 10,
if a journalist or publisher can be imprisoned for what he or she has
written, nor if damages are awarded at such a scale that the exercise of
press freedom is jeopardised at an economic level,” the letter from WAN
said.
