Journalists who revealed Greek wiretapping scandal appear in court

Defamation lawsuit, filed by nephew of Greece’s prime minister, described as ‘disgraceful’ by press freedom groups

Journalists and media outlets who revealed a wiretapping scandal that rocked Greece’s centre-right government have appeared in court on charges of defamation, in what many have described as a critical day for press freedom in Greece.

The lawsuit, which came after media revelations that the phones of politicians, businessmen and media figures were being tapped, was filed by the nephew of prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis who, as the leader’s chief of staff, had been in charge of the country’s secret service.