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Thodoris Chondrogiannos 02 • 04 • 2021

Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers condemns the extrajudicial proceedings brought by the Greek Police Force against newspapers

Thodoris Chondrogiannos
Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers condemns the extrajudicial proceedings brought by the Greek Police Force against newspapers
02 • 04 • 2021

The Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers condemns the extrajudicial proceedings brought by the Greek Police Force against two newspapers, the Efimerida ton Syntakton and Documento, stressing that the mission of journalists is to scrutinise those in power, and to give a voice to citizens, especially in the case of allegations of the arbitrary use of state power.

On March 19, 22 police officers from the General Police Directorate of Attica (GADA) sent an official Letter of Caution to the Efimerida ton Syntakton and Documento, after the two newspapers published an allegation by the citizen Aris Papazacharoudakis that he was tortured in GADA after incidents of police violence in Nea Smyrni. The extrajudicial proceeding was carried out despite the fact that an investigation has been launched into the case by the Internal Affairs Service of the Greek Police (ELAS).

According to Documento, in the letter the police stated that the newspapers’ allegations were groundless, with no basis in reality, nor any justification in journalistic ethics, function, nor by freedom of the press, or above all, democracy, in the year 2021.

Where is the problem with the Rule of Law?

In a state that adheres to the rule of law, both individual rights and the freedom of the press are protected. Journalists have the right to practice their work freely and independently, without censorship or influence. 

The Greek Police Force, they say, should investigate allegations of unlawful violence rather than sending extrajudicial documents to threaten the newspapers that have published them, a practice that goes against freedom of expression and independent journalism.

Thodoris Chondrogiannos
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