@hrw The bill is a flawed attempt to respond to a spyware scandal described as the "Greek Watergate" that has shaken Greek politics as it was revealed by investigative media outlets that dozens prominent figures were targeted by secret services and spyware.
@hrw The surveillance scandal began with revelations in November 2021 that Greece’s intelligence service, EYP, had wiretapped the phone of @Malichudis, a freelance reporter.
It then emerged that the mobile phone of @nasoskook, a freelance journalist, was infected by the Predator spyware – a software that allows users to monitor every aspect of a target's phone and that his phone was wiretapped by the intelligence service
@nasoskook In the summer, it was reported that the intelligence service had also conducted surveillance on the leader of the opposition party PASOK and MEP, Nikos Androulakis, and that there had been an attempt to hack his mobile phone with Predator.
@nasoskook Since then a much broader and growing list of targets, including journalists, politicians, entrepreneurs, members of the government, and judicial officials have reportedly also been targeted by Predator according to the investigative outlet @documentonews
@nasoskook@documentonews Really important detailed investigation by investigative media outlets @insidestory_gr, @reporters_gr and others are pointing to the government as being complicit in the illegal surveillance.
@nasoskook@documentonews@insidestory_gr@reporters_gr A Greek parliament inquiry into the surveillance scandal opened in September, but the ruling New Democracy party blocked dozens of witnesses proposed by opposition parties, including journalists whose phones had been wiretapped.
In addition, the ruling party-controlled committee conducting the inquiry decided that all inquiry meetings would be held behind closed doors & remain confidential, along with the committee’s concluding report, raising transparency concerns
The bill fails to take into account objections from ADAE, the independent authority which oversees surveillance powers. ADAE criticized the government for failing to consult with it and said that the legislation effectively abolishes its oversight powers
The bill comes at time of rising concern about media freedom and the rule of law in Greece.Parliament should play its role and make sure that this legislation actually moves Greece in the direction of intelligence and surveilleance reform
Without proper safeguards and a clear understanding of what went wrong, a new surveillance law will only make things worse
After 5 years, a court in Athens will deliver its verdict against #GoldenDawn trial suspects, for their role in the murders of Pavlos Fyssas and Shehzad Luqman, and numerous brutal attacks against migrants & refugees.
Proud to know that @hrw 2012 report “Hate on the Streets: Xenophobic Violence in Greece” documenting how gangs of Greeks regularly attacked migrants and asylum seekers across #Greece contributed to the fight against #GoldenDawn and to this trial.
In the letter, groups have attached a long list of reports documenting the pattern of abuse at borders by Greek law enforcement officers or unidentified masked men, who appear to be working in tandem with border enforcement officials.
Refoulements de migrants: une trentaine d'ONG appellent le parlement grec à «une enquête urgente»