The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have condemned the intimidation of journalists in Greece covering the Golden Dawn revelations and give their full support to Greek colleagues who are continuing to cover the case despite the threat of violence.
According to IFJ/EFJ affiliate, the Journalists Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN), Greek journalists covering the Golden Dawn murder case have been threatened and attacked by MPs and members of the far-right Greek party.
The case is focused on the murder of a young Greek hip hop artist by a member of the Golden Dawn party on 18 September. As a result, the party’s leader, Nikos Mihaloliakos, and other party members were arrested. Miholiakos has been remanded in custody on charges of organising a criminal group.
The JUADN says the attacks on journalists have worsened over the last few days, with reports that a cameraman was punched on one occasion, while one of the Golden Dawn MPs released on bail yesterday is alleged to have attacked a journalist when leaving the court house in Athens.
At the IFJ world congress in June, the federation adopted a resolution which noted with alarm Golden Dawn’s “terror campaign against journalists and media organisations” for exposing the party’s “Neo-nazi and neo-fascist views, practices and activities” and “reporting and revealing the criminal dealings and actions of Golden Dawn members of the Greek parliament who initiate hatred among the different sections of society…”
The resolution called on the incoming IFJ executive committee to initiate an “international watch against spreading racist hate” (IWASRH), in order to record, denounce and campaign against neo-nazi and neo-fascist actions which target journalism, journalists, media organisations, IFJ members and other civil society organisations and activities. It also proposed the IFJ, in collaboration with Greek unions, organise the first IWASRH meeting to purse these objectives.
(Press Release)
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
