NEWS

Journalist’s arrest over criticism of Independent Greeks MP condemned

Journalists’ union ESIEA condemned late on Sunday a decision to arrest Eleftheros Typos journalist Despina Kontaraki after she was sued by Independent Greeks MP Rachil Makri.

The lawmaker objected to an article written by Kontaraki regarding the comments Makri made about the arrest of Golden Dawn MPs in the wake of the Neo-Nazi party making public a secretly filmed video of spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris in conversation with ex-cabinet secretary Panayiotis Baltakos.

ESIEA described Kontaraki’s arrest as “unacceptable.” The journalist was released late on Sunday after being questioned by a prosecutor.

“It is unacceptable for a politician to respond to criticism from journalist with law suits and arrests,” said government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou, who was formerly a journalist.

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