ABTTF President: “The events surrounding the wiretapping scandal are, without a doubt, a direct consequence of the politicisation of the judiciary in our country. As the Turkish community in Western Thrace, we have for years experienced first-hand the serious erosion of the rule of law in our country and the negative effects of the lack of independence of the judiciary in cases concerning our associations. Our country, which has failed to execute the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments in the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases concerning three of our associations for the past 18 years, is constantly playing for time, thereby flouting the rule of law and international law.”
Christos Spirtzis, the former Greek Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, and journalist Thanasis Koukakis have lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on the grounds that their illegal wiretapping via the ‘‘Predator’’ spyware programme was not investigated by national authorities in an independent, impartial and effective manner, and that the judicial proceedings were not conducted adequately.
In a statement regarding his application to the ECtHR, Spirtzis alleged that attempts were being made to cover up the wiretapping scandal in Greece and emphasised that the judiciary must not be allowed to be influenced by the government. Spirtzis further noted that he would continue his legal efforts both within and outside Greece to safeguard democratic institutions and the rule of law.
In their applications, Spirtzis and Koukakis allege that the right to a fair trial, the right to respect for private life and correspondence, and the right to freedom of expression, as enshrined in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR), have been violated.
“With the wiretapping scandal being taken to the European Court of Human Rights, the systematic violation of the rule of law in our country, Greece, and the lack of confidence in the national judicial system have once again been laid bare. Evangelos Venizelos, our country’s former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs, has also indicated that the wiretapping scandal is an open wound that undermines the rule of law, and that the evidence that has come to light in the scandal points to an institutional crime. The events surrounding the wiretapping scandal are, without a doubt, a direct consequence of the politicisation of the judiciary in our country. Recent public opinion surveys by the European Union and the European Parliament have also revealed that the vast majority of the population in our country believe the rule of law is not being respected. As the Turkish community in Western Thrace, we have for years experienced first-hand the serious erosion of the rule of law and the negative effects of the lack of independence of the judiciary in cases concerning our associations. Our country, which has failed to execute the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) judgments in the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases concerning our three associations for 18 years, is constantly playing for time, thereby flouting the rule of law and international law’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
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