Veteran Journalist Spyros Karatzaferis Arrested by Greek Police

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Politics

Veteran journalist Spyros Katatzaferis was arrested in the ealy morning hours of Wednesday on his way home after a live-broadcast on a private television channel. First reports claimed that “he was arrested due to outstanding constributions to insurance funds and for an older court decision that had charged him with libel.”
Karatzeferis was arrested in a cinema-style police action on a street of  Psychiko, a suburb of North Athens, one hour after his program on EXTRA TV. During the program Karatzaferis claimed he was in position of documents from the Finance Ministry illegally obtained by hackers of Anonymous group. He did not revealed any document and called on Finance Ministry officials to take position on the issue. As nobody asnwered his call, the journalist claimed he would reveal the documents on the following day (today, Wednesday).

While still at the police station, Karatzaferis went live on his brothers’ program on ART TV, Karatzaferis said that he had announced during his program that he would be arrested as he had in his position all stolen documents on “Greek Swaps” and other things.
Later on the day and speaking to newsportal newsit.gr, the arrested journalist said among others that he had no knwoledge of the arrest warrant as the court decision had still to be officially issued:
“It is a political persecution and silencing of the press, they wanted to intimidate me, they thought I would be scared and refrain from disclosures. But now on second thought, they knew I wouldn’t be scared after 55 years in this profession, but they thought karatzeferis arrest the younger [journalists] may be get scared.”
Spyros Karatzaferis, brother of LAOS party leader Giorgos Karatzaferis, has the possibility to pay the fines, but he said, he would rather go to jail.
 Karatzaferis’ arrest follows the detention of journalist Kostas Vaxevanis over publishing the infamous Lagarde-List and the suspension of two state TV presenters for criticizing a government minister.