From Spero News

The government is poised to bolster the legal framework surrounding blogs after an investigation was launched regarding the alleged blackmail of journalists by colleagues through the popular blogspot press-gr.

Government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos confirmed that the justice ministry is working on amending an existing law (#1187) that grants people the right to press charges against the media, journalists, editors or the organisation itself in cases of slander or libel.

Sources at the justice ministry told the Athens News that the amendment - to be brought before parliament in March - will include non-professional, not-for-profit informative blogs and websites of “editorial products” and that they will have the same liabilities as magazines and newspapers.

According to the 2001 Treaty of Budapest, all EU members are required to update their laws regarding internet crimes.

The same sources note that the ministry is considering the following three possible additions to the law: blog administrators will have to display their personal details on the home page of the blog; authorities will have increased powers to track down bloggers who have posted libel or defamatory comments; and the National Radio and Television Council will have increased powers to intervene in instances of libel.

The government’s plans have sparked outrage among bloggers, legal exerts and internet users, who believe the amendment will violate their right to freedom of speech.

Internet lawyer Vasilis Sotiropoulos:

Anonymity can only be declassified on the internet when a serious crime takes place, according to the Greek constitution. Everyone has the right to post comments on the basis of anonymity. If the government’s plans go through, there is a real danger that personal views expressed by net users will be seen as libellous and this will have unpredictable consequences

Nikos Drandakis, one of Greece’s leading bloggers:

It is outrageous to treat blogs like newspapers and television stations. Should this bill go through, it will signal an era of fear for bloggers and more blog spots with anonymous allegations and comments, like press-gr, will appear.

There are over 40,000 Greek blogs and most of them are being demonised at the moment. And all this is happening because of blackmail allegations involving one blog spot. This is really unfair, considering the blogs have opened up new avenues of communication… It shows that the government is out of touch with the realities of the internet.

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