Freedom of the Press - Greece (2003)

Status: Free
Legal Environment: 14
Political Influences: 6
Economic Pressures: 8
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 and Turkish (2 percent)
Capital: Athens

Article 14 of the constitution bans censorship and guarantees freedom of expression. While the government has at times acted to restrict press freedom, Greek media generally enjoy these rights in practice. Libel of and insults against the president remain criminal offenses and carry the threat of fines or imprisonment. In 2001, an ethnic minority activist was fined and sentenced to prison for allegedly distributing false information. There were no reported criminal libel cases against journalists in 2002. Until recently, the broadcast sector, particularly radio, existed largely without regulation. Then, in 2001, the government sparked a notable public backlash when it attempted to license the country's estimated 1,700 unregulated broadcasters. The government did, however, allow broadcasters to operate throughout the licensing process. The majority of newspapers are privately owned. Some journalists experienced harassment and assault while covering the arrests of members of the November 17 terrorist group.