(RSF/IFEX) – On 7 October 2002, RSF voiced its concern about the recent attacks on Greek journalists and news organisations that have taken place against a backdrop of controversy about news coverage of the arrests of members of the November 17 terrorist group. “The use of violence against journalists is never justified,” RSF Secretary-General Robert […]
(RSF/IFEX) – On 7 October 2002, RSF voiced its concern about the recent attacks on Greek journalists and news organisations that have taken place against a backdrop of controversy about news coverage of the arrests of members of the November 17 terrorist group.
“The use of violence against journalists is never justified,” RSF Secretary-General Robert Ménard said, urging those who take issue with coverage of the November 17 arrests to voice their criticisms verbally in forums for public debate. “Those who accuse the press of bias on this issue should use democratic means to bring their case forward.”
On 2 October, some 20 helmeted individuals, apparently members of an anarchist group, attacked the Athens offices of the daily newspaper “Apogevmatini”, tossing Molotov cocktails and setting fire to several vehicles. The newspaper’s staff were at work at the time, but no one was injured. The assailants all fled before the police arrived. The newspaper, whose owner, Nikos Momfertos, was murdered by November 17 in 1985, had come out clearly in favour of cracking down on the terrorist group, which has claimed responsibility for the deaths of 23 Greek and foreign personalities since 1975.
During a march on the United States’ embassy in Athens on 26 September, protesters destroyed a truck belonging to the private television channel Mega, causing minor injuries to a reporter and two technicians. Several news photographers and cameramen had their equipment destroyed. Messages of support for November 17 were found written on walls.
On 13 September, about 30 persons believed to be anarchist militants attacked television journalists who were filming outside the Athens home of Ioanas Kourtovic, a lawyer who is defending two of the detainees accused of being November 17 members. The assailants asked the journalists why they were there and accused them of biased coverage. They threw their cameras to the ground, struck the journalists, and made off before the police arrived.
