Greece Faces Court Trial Over Illegal Wiretapping Scandal

A trial concerning the illegal wiretapping of politicians and journalists in Greece is set to begin on March 15, 2023. This case revolves around the use of the Predator spyware, which has been linked to a significant scandal that emerged three years ago. Four individuals, including two Israelis and two Greeks, face charges for the “violation of telephone communication secrecy” and could receive a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

The trial will take place at the Athens Criminal Court. Initially scheduled for earlier this year, it was postponed for six months. Among the defendants are three former executives of the Greek company Intellexa, responsible for marketing the Predator spyware in Greece. This software enables unauthorized access to messages, photographs, and even allows hackers to activate the microphone or camera of an infected device.

The scandal gained international attention when financial journalist Thanassis Koukakis revealed that he had been targeted by the spyware. He described the situation as a “true violation of the rule of law.” Koukakis was put under surveillance by the EYP National Intelligence Service, which he alleges began in 2020 before his phone was compromised in 2021. He indicated that the Greek government initially attempted to downplay the severity of the situation despite mounting media revelations.

The scandal further escalated in July 2022 when Nikos Androulakis, leader of the opposition party Pasok-Kinal and a member of the European Parliament, disclosed that his phone had been the target of an attempted infection by the spyware. This revelation highlighted a broader surveillance network, prompting a more in-depth judicial investigation.

In response to the scandal, the Greek parliament has since prohibited the use of spyware. Reports emerged detailing a list of individuals who were reportedly under surveillance, including government ministers, senior military officials, journalists, and business executives. Koukakis, who had been investigating corruption at the time, refers to the situation as a “political scandal.”

The watchdog organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemned the wiretapping as a significant infringement on media freedom in Greece. A group of affected individuals, alongside the Authority for the Protection of Communications Secrecy (ADAE), has brought the case before the European Parliament, arguing against the delay in investigations and alleged government interference.

Koukakis, now pursuing a civil lawsuit, has called the scandal a “real violation of the rule of law.” In addition to Koukakis, approximately ten other individuals, including Androulakis, have filed civil suits against those involved. As the trial unfolds, Koukakis’s lawyer, Zacharias Kesses, expressed concern over the lack of prosecutions for politicians despite evidence of serious crimes, including violations of personal data and state secrets.

The case file reportedly contains thousands of pages of documents, suggesting that the legal proceedings may extend for several months. The trial and its implications could further impact the political landscape in Greece, particularly concerning the actions of the current government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. With public scrutiny intensifying, the outcomes of this trial may have lasting effects on the relationship between the government and media in Greece, as well as on the country’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.