The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European group, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), have condemned the assault on a Greek journalist outside Giorgos Karaiskakis football stadium in Athens on Sunday, 14 April 2013.

According to the IFJ and EFJ affiliate, the Journalists Union of the Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN), George Tselika, a journalist for Greek TV station SKAI, was attacked by a group of unknown assailants because they identified him as a SKAI reporter, leaving him with a fractured pelvis and broken ribs. This is the third attack on a journalist working at the stadium this year.

"The assault is the latest in a series of violent attacks against journalists in Greece in recent months," said EFJ President Arne König. "Such incidents cannot be tolerated and we call on Greek authorities to take strong and urgent action to protect the safety of journalists working in the country."

In a joint statement JUADN and the Greek Sports Journalists' Association (PSAT), condemned the incident which occurred during a symbolic 15 minute ‘stop from work' protest. The two syndicates took industrial action during which journalists stopped covering Greek Super League Football to protest against previous incidents of violence against journalists at football stadiums. According to the unions, the protest was undermined due to pressure from media employers.

"The authorities in Greece should oppose the spread of violence, discrimination and poverty in the country and take action to stop all sorts of provocation, but it is also important the citizens in Greece, who may feel resentment towards the establishment for whatever reason, respect press freedom and the human rights of journalists," said IFJ President Jim Boumelha

In a joint statement JUADM and PSAT have demanded that police and judicial authorities take all necessary steps to ensure journalists are able to work in safety.

The unions have also called upon colleagues not to give in to the employers' pressure which they say compromised the protest.

For more information, please contact EFJ on + 32 2 235 22 00
The European Federation of Journalists is the European group of the International Federation of Journalists. It represents over 300,000 journalists in 37 countries.