Journalists’ union raises expression concerns over Drousiotis cases

Nicosia, Cyprus. The journalists’ union (ESK) on Wednesday raised concerns that the handling of three criminal cases involving journalist Makarios Drousiotis could pose risks to freedom of expression.

Drousiotis faces proceedings over allegations of disseminating false news, violating personal data legislation and, most recently, allegedly conducting illegal fundraising.

Union statement

ESK issued its statement after Drousiotis’ online fundraising campaign was referred to police. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said authorities were examining whether the campaign complied with fundraising legislation.

The union said it had initially avoided public comment when Drousiotis was charged in a case concerning the woman publicly known as Sandy, believing that intervention could interfere with the administration of justice.

It said a second criminal case concerning Drousiotis’ book Mafia State followed, before the investigation into his fundraising campaign.

Questions over investigations

“Within a few days, Makarios Drousiotis is being criminally investigated for three different cases and with three different criminal categories,” the union said.

It questioned whether the circumstances gave reasonable grounds to suspect that authorities were targeting the journalist.

“Is the suspicion that the authorities are targeting this particular journalist reasonable or unreasonable?” it said.

The union stressed that no individual was above the law, but that the justice system must remain open to scrutiny.

Minister’s response

Ioannou has rejected Drousiotis’ allegations, saying the interior ministry “is not hunting anyone and does not seek the extermination of anyone”.