REPORTS
Prosecutor of the Supreme Court appears to threaten the press in response to criticism and pressure
Responding to reports (see 1, 2) criticising the inaction of the Greek justice system regarding the wiretapping scandal, the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Isidoros Doyakos, spoke out against the Greek media. In his statement he accused some sectors of the press of ’slandering’ and ‘trampling on’ the judiciary when it fails to act in accordance with their wishes/’dictates’. He also appeared to imply that some publishers may be engaged in criminal activity and seemed to threaten the press with a tax audit, stating that other countries would not ‘allow’ the press to insult, slander and pressure the judiciary.
The journalists’ associations issued a statement in response invoking the role of the press as the guardian of democracy. The statement stresses that the institutional role of the press should not be questioned by anyone, and particularly not by public prosecutors, who must act with objectivity and impartiality, upholding the law. The statement pointed out that no one is above the law, but that similarly, no one is exempt from criticism. And this is an element of democracy, pluralism and the freedom of the press.
Freedom of the press is guaranteed by Article 14 of the Greek Constitution. In a democracy the press assumes the institutional role of a counterweight to the executive, and as such the constitution guarantees the free exercise of journalism without any censorship, restrictions or influence.
In this context, the reference to possible tax audits in response to criticism could be interpreted as a threat, or as a measure that potentially discourages or limits the press’ unimpeded freedom.
Bank Account number: 1100 0232 0016 560
IBAN: GR56 0140 1100 1100 0232 0016 560
BIC: CRBAGRAA
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