Athens, Greece. Intellexa founder Tal Dilian said he will appeal a Greek court conviction on charges of breaching personal data in connection with the 2022 wiretapping scandal known in Greece as “Predatorgate.”
Court ruling and planned appeal
Dilian told Reuters on Tuesday that he plans to appeal after a Greek court on Feb. 26 found him and three other people guilty of misdemeanour charges and sentenced them to prison, suspended until an appeal.
“I remained silent during the trial, but I will not be a scapegoat,” Dilian said in a statement sent to Reuters.
“I believe a conviction without evidence is not justice, it could be part of a cover-up and even a crime. I will present my case before national, regional, and international institutions, including requesting the intervention of the UN Special Rapporteur on judicial independence.”
Background to the “Predatorgate” affair
The affair emerged after allegations by a financial journalist and a political leader that they had been subject to state surveillance via the phone malware Predator, Intellexa’s flagship spyware product.
The case led to the sacking of the head of the state intelligence service, EYP, and the prime minister’s chief of staff. Traces of Predator were found in dozens of phones.
The government has denied any wrongdoing and survived a 2023 vote of no confidence over the issue.
Prosecutorial decisions and government response
In 2024, Greece’s Supreme Court prosecutor shelved the case against EYP but referred four defendants, including Dilian, to trial on misdemeanour charges.
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said earlier this month that judicial authorities were dealing with the matter, and reiterated that the top court had set aside the case over the state’s involvement in the affair.
Dilian’s claims on evidence
Dilian said the evidence presented during the trial contradicted the Supreme Court prosecutor’s analysis and that there was no evidence linking the defendants with EYP’s reported “interferences”.
What impact do you think the appeal could have on the broader “Predatorgate” investigation?
