As Greek society prepares for one of the largest demonstrations in recent years, the government chooses to respond not with dialogue and accountability, but with repression of free speech.
The order by the head of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office, Aristidis Koreas, for a criminal investigation against social media users is a blatant attempt to intimidate and silence those who dare to speak about the crime of Tempi. Instead of holding the real culprits of the tragedy accountable, the government targets citizens demanding justice.
The Cyber Crime Division’s investigation, which aims to identify users for posts allegedly inciting violence, paves the way for dangerous censorship practices. This is a clear attempt to terrorize those preparing to protest on February 28, on the second anniversary of the unspeakable tragedy.
The government and its allied media are attempting to construct a narrative that portrays public outrage as "dangerous" and the demonstrations as a "threat." However, the real threat to democracy comes from these very censorship and repression tactics.
The Greek people, who have fought for freedom and justice, will not succumb to such terror tactics. The memory of the victims of Tempi will not fade, no matter how much they try to silence the voices of those demanding justice. February 28 will be a day of remembrance, but also a day of struggle for our homeland against injustice and state tyranny.
