Greece: EFJ/IFJ condemn smear campaign against four sport journalists

The International and European Federations of journalists (IFJ/EFJ) strongly condemned the smear campaign in Athens, Greece, against four sport journalists and union members.

Credit: ARIS MESSINIS / AFP

 Around 10 000 posters featuring photos and names of the four journalists were plastered in the early hours of the morning in the streets across Athens on 6 May . Insulting  words against the journalists such as "slanderers", "shameful for 10 euros", "impostors" were printed on the posters. Three of the targeted journalists are members of Journalists’ Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (JUADN), and IFJ/EFJ affiliate while  the fourth  is a member of the Journalists’ Union of Macedonia and Thrace Daily Newspapers (ESIEMTH), also affiliated to both federations. According to JUADN, the journalists are targeted for their articles, reports and comments on Greek football.

"In recent years, the attacks on our colleagues, especially sports editors, have risen sharply. So far they had taken different forms such as threats, insults, beatings and serious injuries. This time it is a smear campaign," said JUADN in a statement.

The Federations stand in solidarity with the journalists and back their affiliates' call on the Greek authorities to urgently identify and investigate the persons behind this shameful campaign.

For more information, please contact IFJ on +32 2 235 22 16

The IFJ represents more than 600,000 journalists in 146 countries

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