Criminal prosecutions against investigative journalists in Greece

• SYRIZA - Progressive Alliance MEPs tabled a question to the EU Commission about the repeated persecutions of investigative journalists but also about the blatant violation of their right to highlight scandals in favor of the public interest.
• The Novartis scandal was highlighted in Greece by investigative journalists Ioanna Papadakou and Kostas Vaxevanis, regarding which the company made an out-of-court settlement of 346 million US Dollars with the US government. Greece is at the bottom of the Press FreedomIindex, while the Vice President of the Commission, Vera Jourova, acknowledged that Greece is one of the most problematic countries in terms of press freedom.

The question was tabled shortly after the summoning of the former investigative journalist, Ioanna Papadakou, who has been summoned before the Greek Justice, in violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), with accusations of participation in a criminal organization that allegedly fubricated a "fake scandal" regarding Novartis and the Lagarde List. Investigative journalist Kostas Vaxevanis also faces charges of involvement in a criminal organization, breach of duty and abuse of power in connection with the Novartis scandal.

The Novartis scandal was highlighted in Greece by the journalists mentioned above, and for which the company made an out-of-court settlement of 346 million US dollars with the US government. The persecution of the two journalists has caused outcry from press organizations and press freedom observatories. At the same time, Greece is at the bottom of the Press Freedom Index, while the Vice President of the Commission, Vera Jourova, acknowledged that Greece is one of the most problematic countries in terms of press freedom.

At a time when freedom of the press, as an integral part of democracy and the rule of law, is being threatened by terror and organized SLAPP, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance MEPs Dimitrios Papadimoulis, Kostas Arvanitis, Alexis Georgoulis, Petros Kokkalis, Stelios Kouloglou and Elena Kountoura are asking the Commission: how do they assess the above persecutions as direct attacks on freedom of the press? Do they intend to express particular concerns about the prosecution of the two investigative journalists and what measures are they willing to take to protect investigative journalism and press freedom in Greece.
 
You can find below the question in full:

Criminal prosecutions against investigative journalists in Greece
Former investigative journalist Ioanna Papadakou has been summoned before the Greek Justice, in violation of the Code of Criminal Procedure and the ECHR, on charges of participating in a criminal organization that created a "fake scandal" in the Novartis case and the "Lagarde List". At the same time, investigative journalist Kostas Vaxevanis faces charges of involvement in a criminal organization, breach of duty and abuse of power in connection with the Novartis scandal. This is a scandal highlighted by the above journalists and for which the company made an out-of-court settlement of 346 million US dollars with the US government. The persecution of the above journalists has caused the outcry of press organizations and press freedom observatories.
At a time when freedom of the press, as an integral part of democracy and the rule of law, is being threatened by terror and organized SLAPP, SYRIZA-PA MEPs are asking the Commission:
-Do they assess the above persecutions as direct attacks on freedom of the press?
-Do they intend to express particular concerns about the prosecution of the two investigative journalists?
-Which specific measures are they willing to take to protect investigative journalism and press freedom in Greece?