EDITOR’S NOTE (Nick Stamatakis). What is the surest sign of the Mitsotakis government suppressing the freedom of the press? The fact that foreign agents and personalities run to Greece to file “defamation” lawsuits they would not otherwise dare file in their countries of residence. Examples:
- AB Makarios (Griniezakis) of Australia, a member of the “Mitsotakis clan,” filed several lawsuits trying to punish journalists for supposed defamation: Sotiris Tzoumas (exapsalmos.gr) and Vasso Morali are the prime targets.
- AB Elpidophoros of America (whose close relationship with Mareva Mitsotakis, Kyriakos’s wife, is well known) also filed a lawsuit against Sotiris Tzoumas; from what we see, it is still pending in Greek Courts.
- TNH’s former publisher (now “advisor”) and former under-secretary of Foreign Affairs of Greece (dismissed during his flight to Australia), Antonis Diamataris, whose wife is a Constantine Mitsotakis’ niece, “wins the first prize”: He filed a lawsuit against “Helleniscope” in Greece alleging defamation of events and persons completely un-related to Greece and 100% related to New York and to the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese!! This last case is particularly egregious, as Diamataris wrote articles condemning Elpidophoros’ lawsuits against Tzoumas!! But for himself, he allows ample space for frivolous lawsuits!! At the same time, he knows that both he and Elpidophoros try to exploit: a) the laxity of law and judicial practices in Greece related to freedom of the press and b) their close ties to the Mitsotakis family, who have been accused multiple times of interventions in the justice system. Laura Kovesi, the EU Prosecutor, recently exposed such interventions and threatened the Mitsotakis government with action!! Hypocrisy beyond belief!!
Meanwhile, Helleniscope has successfully repelled similar attempts in New York, where people related to the GOARCH filed two defamation lawsuits in 2020 and 2021: One of them has been recently withdrawn, while we are still fighting to repel the second one. The laws of New York, especially the so-called SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) protection, essentially guarantee the freedom of the press, and the Courts and Judges are quick to provide help to journalists…
August 20, 2025, n.stamatakis@aol.com www.helleniscope.com
DISCLAIMER: The views and statements expressed in this article constitute constitutionally protected opinions of this author.
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Press freedom in Greece is under heavy strain – Journalists face harassment, violence, and lawsuits – Media pressured into silence and self-censorship – Official reports paint a misleadingly positive picture
State Department report casts heavy shadows over press freedom in Greece
This year’s State Department Human Rights Report records a strong lack of respect for press freedom in Greece, despite the official guarantees of the Constitution.
Pressure and intimidation of journalists
The Report documents repeated incidents of harassment, intimidation and even physical attacks on journalists. Indicatively, the attack on reporter Rena Kouvelioti, who was violently attacked while covering a case of arbitrary arrests, is mentioned.
It is noted that despite the reduction in incidents recorded by the EU (7 this year compared to 16 last year), press freedom organizations have denounced this picture as “misleading and overly positive”, as it does not reflect the harsh reality experienced by journalists and civil society organizations.
The government is also being harshly criticized for its abusive use of lawsuits against journalists (SLAPP), while, as highlighted in the Report, many major media outlets avoid publishing unfavorable news about the government.
This is attributed to pressures and dependencies from media owners, fear of losing their jobs, and the threat of defamation lawsuits . The result, as highlighted, is a pervasive culture of self-censorship that severely limits public information.
Criticism of European reports – Government “cover-up”
Significantly, media organizations have complained that the EU’s annual Rule of Law Report has given an ” overly positive and misleading ” picture, which in practice reinforces the repression of independent media and organizations. In other words, while the government is using the “European seal” to promote progress, the situation on the ground remains extremely worrying.
Regulatory tools as control mechanisms
The requirement for all media outlets – television, radio, online and local – to be registered with government registries is presented by the authorities as a transparency measure. However, press freedom organizations point out that this regime creates scope for control and surveillance that threatens the independence of the media.
The government’s image under international questioning
The State Department Report, focusing on press freedom, paints a picture of a government that formally respects fundamental freedoms , but in practice leaves journalists exposed to pressure, attacks, and legal traps.
The criticisms are clear: Use of lawsuits as a weapon of silence, self-censorship for fear of government pressure, incidents of violence and intimidation that are not adequately addressed, regulatory frameworks that can function as tools of control.
Greece, according to the American report, is far from truly independent and safe journalism , and the image projected outwardly conflicts with the daily experiences of people in the press.
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BY LINKING HERE, YOU CAN SEE THE FULL HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT – BELOW, ONLY THE PART ABOUT THE PRESS
Section 2.
Liberty
Physical Attacks, Imprisonment, and Pressure
On October 11, an Athens first instance court rejected a lawsuit filed by former chief of staff to the prime minister Grigoris Dimitriadis against several media outlets and journalists for defamation following their reporting on a wiretapping scandal. In his lawsuit, which the International Press Institute had called “a startling example of a strategic lawsuit against public participation,” Dimitriadis alleged he had lost his job and suffered reputational harm due to their news stories concerning the scandal. The court ruled the journalists’ publications were made in the public interest and did not intend to harm Dimitriadis’ reputation.
A July EU Rule of Law Report found seven cases of harassment or intimidation of journalists in the country, compared with 16 during the previous year. In a joint statement, several media-freedom-related organizations asserted that the EU report was misleading, overly positive, and at odds with “the alarming reality experienced by journalists, activists, and civil society organizations on the ground.” The statement argued the EU report would embolden the government’s “crackdown on independent media and civil society.”
On May 14, reporter Rena Kouvelioti was physically attacked by an unknown individual while Kouvelioti was reporting on unauthorized building near a construction site. The Journalists’ Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers denounced the incident.
Censorship by Governments, Military, Intelligence, or Police Forces, Criminal Groups, or Armed Extremist or Rebel Groups
The government did not censor media. Major outlets tended not to publish unflattering news, which humanitarian groups attributed to pressure from media owners, concerns about safety or job security, or vulnerability to criminal defamation.
National television and radio media service providers had to register with the National Radio and Television Council. The government also maintained a register of accredited local websites that were required to display their certification on their homepage. A similar electronic registry was in place for regional and local press.
Efforts to Preserve the Independence of the Media
In March, the government adopted the EU European Media Freedom Act, aiming to safeguard media freedom, media pluralism, and editorial independence.
