An arrest warrant (autoforo) was issued against the well-known Greek journalist Stefanos Chios for “spreading fake news” about murder crime journalist Georgios Karaivaz.
Stefanos Chios, publisher of the Makeleio newspaper, said in a front page article that he had received evidence that Greek government officials were involved in the murder of Karaivaz.
Following the publication of the material released last Saturday, the Athens prosecutor’s office ordered a preliminary investigation and prosecution of an ex officio journalist on charges of spreading fake news.
Chios himself survived an assassination attempt nine months ago, fighting off his would-be assassin. He managed to drive to the nearest hospital with an open wound in his neck after two shots when he parked his car outside his house.
An extremely controversial figure in Greece, Chios has already been arrested in the past and sentenced on various charges for libel against politicians, journalists and celebrities.
His newspaper Makeleio is accused of being a racist, anti-Semitic, homophobic and anti-communist publication that repeatedly spreads fake news and conspiracy theories, and Facebook moderators mercilessly ban anyone who mentions posts from that publication.
Investigation into the murder of a Greek journalist continues
Prominent Greek journalist Georgios Karaivaz was shot dead Friday morning by two unidentified men in broad daylight outside his home in the center of the Alimos district of southern Athens.
A well-known and respected journalist, seriously involved in crime and with many investigations of his own, returned home after finishing work on a daily TV show, in which he worked on the Greek TV channel STAR. Two people drove up to him on a small motorcycle while he was getting out of the car. Having shot the journalist at close range 12 times with a pistol, the police counted 10 hits and 2 of them in the head, the criminals disappeared without a trace.
Karaivaz was the main crime reporter for the leading Greek TV station Ant1 for ten years, before starting his own crime news site and joining Star TV in 2017.
Over the weekend, Greek media released CCTV footage of arrows on their car, but police have yet to make any statements about the progress of the murder investigation.
Plots of the shooters of Georgy Karaivaz. Credit: Greek Police
International reaction to the assassination of Karaivaz
Declarations of condemnation of the cowardly assassination of Kariwaz were made by the President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli; Aristotle Peloni, representative of the Greek government and members of the Greek parliament.
Even Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, made a statement late Friday night. “The murder of a journalist is a despicable act. Europe stands for freedom, ” said von der Leyen.
“And freedom of the press should be the most sacred of all. Journalists must be able to work safely. My thoughts are with the family of Georgios Karaivaz. I hope that in the near future the criminals will be brought to justice, ” said the President of the European Commission.
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