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Greek police tapped phone calls between anti-mining protesters and media

“Protesters have allegedly formed a criminal organization and have spread false information and propaganda material with the goal to influence local and international media and the public opinion.” Never heard of a similar case before other than in totalitarian regimes? Welcome to Greece, my friends, the modern Greece of loan agreements and Troika obedience, the country that desperately seeks investment in an investment-hostile environment and where those disagreeing with state policies are considered to be ‘enemies’.

Greek police tapped phone calls between anti-gold mining activists and protesters and reporters from Greek newspapers and international media and used the transcripts of these conversation as evidence in a court case against them.

Protesters are being charged with “giving false information and propaganda material with the goal of influencing public opinion.”

Below some excerpts from Eleftherotypia, English Edition:

“Police file includes telephone transcripts between Hellenic Mining Watch founder Tolis Papageorgiou and 11 newspapers, news agencies and websites, including Eleftherotypia, Reuters and the semiofficial Athens News Agency.

Transcripts of telephone interviews and conversations with Greek and foreign reporters have been included the case file relating to the investigation of anti-mining activists in northern Greece suspected of founding a “criminal organisation”.

 The telephone transcripts, which take up more than 200 pages of Papageorgiou’s file, relate to conversations and interviews he conducted with 11 newspapers, news agencies and websites, including Eleftherotypia, Reuters, the semiofficial Athens News Agency, To Pontiki, Kathimerini, Dimokratia, Antenna, ERT3, ERA Komotini, Radio Kavala and Studio A, from March to August of this year.

The content of the conversations are transcribed in full, as are the times the calls took place and their duration.

According to the file, Thessaloniki security police claim Hellenic Mining Watch founder Tolis Papageorgiou, who has been leading a campaign against a proposed gold mine at Skouries, set up the “criminal organisation” under investigation.

Last week, it was announced that a total of 12 case files involving 210 suspects have been created by authorities investigating the opposition the mine, run by the Hellas Gold country. It has been reported that one of these cases concerns an arson attack on the company’s offices at the mine in February, another the clashes between protesters and police in May that led to one officer being injured. (read the full story in EnetEnglish.gr)

PS I suppose there was a prosecutor’s order for tapping the phones, no?

 

 

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