FPA ANNOUNCEMENT ON THE SURVEILLANCE OF JOURNALISTS
We have noted with great alarm the reports revealing that another journalist was under surveillance by Greece’s National Intelligence Service, EYP.
According to a recent report in ‘Reporters United’ https://www.reportersunited.gr/8646/eyp-koukakis/, classified documents reveal that EYP, citing national security, intercepted the communications of our colleague Thanasis Koukakis, who at that time was investigating issues related to Greek bankers and businessmen.
According to the same report, it was only after Koukakis suspected he was under surveillance and filed a complaint to the Communications Security and Privacy Authority (ADAE) that EYP stopped monitoring him. Shortly afterwards, the government changed the law, forbidding ADAE, with retroactive effect, from informing citizens that they had been under surveillance.
A year later, Koukakis was targeted with the powerful monitoring malware Predator, as revealed by ‘Inside Story’. https://insidestory.gr/article/ypothesi-parakoloythisis-koykaki-kratos-xerei
It should be noted that Greek daily ‘Efimerida ton Syndakton’ had revealed a few months ago that another reporter, Stavros Malichudis, was also under surveillance by the state.
The FPA unequivocally condemns any unjustified surveillance of journalists by state authorities. Investigative reporting should never be treated as a potential national threat, especially in a democratic country like Greece, where freedom of the press is enshrined in the law and constitution.
We welcome the announcement of the judiciary investigation of this issue and expect immediate and thorough answers by the Greek authorities.
The FPA board
