Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

Greek journalists call for new 'fake news' law to be withdrawn

Greek journalists call for new 'fake news' law to be withdrawn

A Greek journalists' union says the new legal amendment could endanger the right to press freedom and needs to be rewritten.
A Greek journalists' union has called for a new law preventing the spread of misinformation to be withdrawn.

A legal amendment on the "dissemination of false news" is too vague, according to the Journalists' Union of Athens Daily Newspapers (ESIEA).

The proposed bill aims to prosecute Greek citizens who spread false information during the COVID-19 pandemic.

But the union says journalists could be held criminally liable for expressing their opinions on the health crisis.

Greece's parliament voted to approve the amendment to the country's criminal code on Thursday.

Justice Minister Konstantinos Tsiaras said that Greece must "adapt to the realities" of today's world and seek to punish those people responsible for spreading false claims about COVID-19 vaccines.

The new law was drafted by the conservative government and will criminalise the sharing of false information about "public health".

Any citizen who -- publicly or online -- shares false rumours that are "likely to worry or frighten citizens or to undermine public confidence" can be held liable. The maximum prison sentence under the amendment is three months.

But the ESIEA has said that the wording of the law is "too vague" and has called on MPs to "immediately" withdraw it.

The organisation said it recognised the need to combat false COVID-19 information, but stated that the proposed bill could limit the right to press freedom.

"Journalists run the risk of being held criminally liable because, by expressing a personal view on specific issues, they may cause concern or fear to the citizens," the ESIEA said in a statement.

"The wording contained in the amended provisions ... is virtually unlimited, since it is not defined anywhere what is news that is likely to cause anxiety or fear among citizens," the organisation added.

"It must be clearly defined what the law defines as false news, which is capable of causing concern or fear."

A previous version of the law had previously needed proof that the spreading of false information had caused public anxiety.

The union says it has informed the European Federation of Journalists on this issue and also plans to address the European Parliament.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
×