Supreme Court acquits Greek authorities of using spyware "Predator"

On the completion of the investigation into the Mitsotakis government's allegations about wiretapping with the help of the spyware “Predator”, announced the prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Giorgia Adilini.

3 main theses

1. Predator has no connection with government services (ΕΥΠDEEKB, ELA)
2. Surveillance ΕΥΠ for the opposition, journalists and officials was completely legal
3. Four people responsible for private companies have appeared in court.

According to the statement voiced by Giorgia Adilini:

• The Justice Department's investigation found no connection between ΕΥΠ or any other government agency (EL.AS or Anti-Terrorism) with the Predator malware and alleged illegal surveillance of politicians, government officials, journalists, etc.
• The case against EYP, other state agencies and individuals holding key positions was brought by both Deputy Prosecutor Achilleas Zisis, who presented a 300-page report, and the Supreme Court Prosecutor himself, who agreed with Zisis' report.

Four individuals, representatives of companies that were in some way connected to the malware, have been charged with minor offense under the (more lenient) law passed in 2019 by the Syriza government. These are the four who were summoned to appear anonymously as suspects: Ioannis Lavranos, Sarah Alexandra Hamou, Tal Jonathan Dilian and Felix Biggio. The referral to court, as explained in a statement by the prosecutor, is taking place only for misdemeanor – violation of the confidentiality of telephone conversations, since a more favorable law is in effect, now crimes of this kind are felonies.

At the same time, as Ms. Adilini’s statement emphasizes, in addition to the judicial authorities, three independent bodies participated in the investigation. In particular, as stated in the statement“The Hellenic Data Protection Authority, the Hellenic Communications Privacy Authority and the National Transparency Authority (NSA), which carried out investigations and on-site inspections in government bodies – the Ministry of Citizen Protection (ELAS), the National Intelligence Service (ΕΥΠ) – as well as in companies and presented their reports and findings.”

Dozens of witnesses were questioned: “politicians, journalists, representatives of mobile phone companies, commanders and deputy commanders, and other employees of the National Intelligence Service (NIS) over the past 10 years, members of the Communications Security Authority (CSA) and the National Transparency Authority (NSA), senior officers of the Hellenic Police, the Information Management and Analysis Authority, the General Finance Directorate, etc., over the past years, as well as the Electronic Crime Department, and a total of more than forty (40) witnesses.” The 300-page report was presented by Deputy Public Prosecutor Achilleas Zisis, detailing all the actions taken. Among other things, the examinations carried out, requests for judicial assistance sent to the United States and Switzerland and the responses thereto, as well as a detailed account of the actions of the judiciary in conjunction with other independent or state bodies. Finally, it is noted that the disciplinary investigation conducted by the Supreme Court against the then prosecutor in charge of the NIS, Vasiliki Vlachou, resulted in her acquittal, which was duly confirmed.”

The opposition and independent media expressed strong indignation at the Supreme Court's verdict, questioning the impartiality of the prosecutor's office and judges.

By words Editor of IN.gr Lefteris T. Charalampopoulos, “allegedly an independent judicial system, and at the highest level, issues a conclusion that, in the eyes of a significant part of society, can be characterized by the saying “one crow will not peck out another crow’s eye”. Not to mention that first we learn that Judges were also subject to surveillancewhich in the eyes of many means trying to find a way to “keep them,” and then we see the decision to bring a case that in reality only serves the government’s narrative.

All this only reinforces the opinion in society that democratic institutions are a sham, decisions are made essentially in the absence of citizens, human rights are just rhetoric and therefore easily violated, and justice is not “blind” when it comes to weighing which interests to serve.”

Editions ProNews sarcastically notes that the culprits have been announced, but they have been charged, as if in mockery, with a minor administrative offence, which is punishable by a small fine at most. And this is for a crime for which in other countries they would be sentenced to life imprisonment.

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