Perpetrators of attacks against Greek journalists must be brought to justice, says OSCE media freedom representative

VIENNA, 16 January 2013 – OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media Dunja Mijatović today condemned recent fire bomb attacks outside the houses of journalists in Greece, and said she hoped investigations would soon bring the perpetrators to justice.

“I welcome the authorities’ immediate response in launching an investigation and condemning the attacks,” said Mijatović. “Public condemnation by the authorities is crucial to make it clear that violence against the media will not be tolerated. I hope this important step will be followed by a thorough and swift investigation that will bring the perpetrators to justice.”

The attacks took place on 11 January in the greater Athens area outside the homes of five well-known journalists – Antonis Skyllakos from the Athens News Agency and his journalist wife Evangelia Baltatzi, Antonis Liaros, from the ERT public television channel, Petros Karsiotis from Alpha TV, Giorgos Ekonomeas from Mega TV, and Christos Konstas, a former journalist and current spokesman of the state privatization agency. Two groups, calling themselves the Militant Minority and the Circle of Violators, claimed responsibility for the attacks in an announcement posted on their websites. No one was injured in the attacks.