On 8 March 2024, Spyros Halikias, journalist of radio station Athens 9.84, was physically attacked and injured by riot police while covering a student protest against the passage of the bill on private universities in Syntagma Square, Athens.
The MAT officers moved against the protesters with tear gas and batons, severely injuring seven of them. Halikias was also hit by the police, fell to the ground bleeding and was later moved to Gennimatas General Hospital for treatment.
In video footage of the scene, the journalist can be seen on the ground, and limping when other reporters lift him up and move him away from the police officers wearing heavy riot gear. In its statement, Athens 9.84 announced it is considering legal action.
The incident was recorded as “physical violence” and a “violation of media freedom” by the Mapping Media Freedom reporting mechanism, which is an initiative of the European Centre for Press & Media Freedom – ECPMF.
Under the rule of law, where individual rights and freedom of the press are protected, journalists have the right to exercise their profession freely and independently, without censorship, and without disproportionate and unjustified restrictions, in order to fully inform the public on issues of major public interest.
Despite the guarantee of freedom of the press under Article 14 para. 2 of the Constitution, in the case in question the police authorities reportedly used physical violence against a journalist, without justification.
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