The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) consortium expresses its full support for Greek journalist Stavroula Poulimeni and media outlet Alterthess ahead of their appeal on 19 September 2024. 

Today’s hearing follows a court ruling that partially upheld a civil lawsuit demanding damages over Poulimeni’s report on the conviction of two Hellas Gold executives for water pollution – which were overturned in 2022, as the journalist also reported at the time. 

In 2023, Alterthess was ordered to pay €3,000 to one of the company’s executives for reporting his court conviction in October 2020. The judge ruled that, despite the conviction being public information, the publishing of his name was a breach of his privacy protected under the GDPR rules and caused moral damages.

Should this ruling stand the future of court reporting and the public’s right of access to court rulings will be in jeopardy. 

Moreover, the lower court’s decision risks encouraging more Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) aimed at silencing media in Greece, where journalists already face a growing number of legal pressures.

At 11:00AM, supporters will gather outside the Athens Court of Appeal for a press conference to raise awareness about the case. The MFRR calls for the court to overturn this decision, ensuring that journalists in Greece can continue their work without fear of legal retaliation. 

Signed

International Press Institute (IPI)

European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF)

European Federation of Journalists (EFJ)

Free Press Unlimited (FPU)

Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT)

This statement was produced as part of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR), a Europe-wide mechanism that tracks, monitors, and responds to violations of press and media freedom in EU Member States and Candidate Countries. The project is co-funded by the European Commission.