Predator spyware scandal brought before European Court of Human Rights
Greece's long-running Predator spyware scandal has been brought before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), with former Infrastructure and Transport Minister Christos Spirtzis and journalist Thanasis Koukakis challenging the handling of alleged illegal surveillance by national authorities.
Spirtzis and Koukakis argue that Greek authorities failed to conduct an independent, impartial and effective investigation into the surveillance allegations and that judicial procedures did not provide adequate protection of their rights.
In their applications to the ECHR, the two complainants allege violations of rights protected under the European Convention on Human Rights, including the right to a fair trial, the protection of private life and communications, and freedom of expression.
Spirtzis says legal action will continue
Following his application, Spirtzis argued that there had been attempts to cover up the surveillance scandal in Greece.
The former minister stressed that judicial institutions should not be allowed to come under government influence and said he would continue pursuing legal action both in Greece and abroad in an effort to protect democratic institutions and the rule of law.
The Predator scandal has been a major political and institutional issue in Greece for several years, following allegations that politicians, journalists and other individuals were targeted using the spyware.
Western Thrace Turkish Federation raises rule-of-law concerns
The European Western Thrace Turks Federation (ABTTF) also renewed its criticism of the state of the rule of law and judicial independence in Greece following the ECHR applications.
ABTTF President Halit Habipoğlu said the cases had once again brought concerns over the rule of law in Greece into focus and argued that the applications reflected a lack of confidence in the country's national judicial system.
Habipoğlu also referred to previous comments by former Greek Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos, who had described the surveillance scandal as a serious rule-of-law issue and argued that the evidence emerging from the case pointed to what he characterized as an institutional crime.
According to Habipoğlu, the controversy is also linked to concerns over the politicization of the judiciary.
ABTTF points to Western Thrace minority cases
Habipoğlu further connected the broader debate over judicial independence to long-standing concerns raised by the Western Thrace Turkish community.
He specifically referred to cases involving minority associations and argued that Greece has failed to fully implement ECHR judgments concerning three Western Thrace Turkish associations under the Bekir Usta and Others group of cases.
Habipoğlu said the judgments have remained unimplemented for 18 years, arguing that this constitutes a violation of the rule of law and international legal obligations.
The Greek government and national authorities have previously faced scrutiny from European institutions over issues concerning judicial independence, rule-of-law standards and the implementation of European court judgments.
The ECHR applications by Spirtzis and Koukakis now move part of the controversy surrounding the Predator spyware affair from Greece's domestic legal system to the European human rights framework.
The applications do not in themselves establish that the alleged violations occurred; the ECHR will assess the admissibility and merits of the complaints under its procedures.
