Freedom of the Press - Greece (2004)

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 8
Political Influences: 14
Economic Pressures: 6
Total Score: 28

Population: n/a
GNI/capita: n/a
Life Expectancy: 78
Religious Groups: Greek Orthodox (98 percent), Muslim (1.3 percent), other (0.7 percent)
Ethnic Groups: Greek (98 percent), other, including Macedonian, Turkish (2 percent)
Capital: Athens

The constitution guarantees freedom of expression. While the government has at times acted to restrict press freedom, media generally enjoy these rights in practice. Libel of the president is a criminal offense but defendants are generally released on bail. The television station Mega Channel was fined for showing two men kissing, which was described by the National Council of Radio and Television as "vulgar and unacceptable." An Albanian journalist who had been in the country since 1991 was denied renewal of his working permit because, authorities said, of "reasons of security and public order." In December 2002 he had written an "open letter" on behalf of all Albanian immigrants. In September an incendiary device was thrown at the front door of a television presenter in Athens, presumably in connection with her investigations into the 17 November terrorist group. The majority of newspapers are privately owned.