Greece: WPF Condemns Retaliatory Lawsuits Targeting Anna Nini and Colleague

January 16, 2025 - Greece, Athens

 

Women Press Freedom strongly condemns the legal harassment of journalist Anna Nini and Press Project publisher Konstantinos Poulis for their coverage of a high-profile trial in Greece. These lawsuits are blatant attempts to intimidate journalists and suppress critical reporting.

Nini is facing lawsuits from relatives of convicted murderer Athanasios Chortarias, who accuse her of violating personal data laws. Chortarias, convicted of fatally assaulting LGBTQ+ activist Zak Kostopoulos, has also sued Poulis for alleged "online defamation."

Nini had recorded and shared footage from a court session where police restrained Chortarias’ wife after she verbally and physically confronted the lawyers representing Kostopoulos’ family. She defended her reporting, emphasizing its public interest, as it exposed threats to trial participants and the hostile atmosphere surrounding the case. She also documented verbal attacks by Chortarias’ relatives against the legal team following the verdict.

We call on Greek authorities to reject these baseless lawsuits and ensure that journalists can report freely without fear of retaliation. Criminalizing legitimate journalism threatens press freedom and erodes public trust in the justice system.

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