ATHENS, May 8, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - Human Rights Watch on Thursday criticised Greece's government for "state actions that undermine" the right to information, noting that press freedom in the country has seen "significant deterioration" since the conservatives came to power in 2019.

In a report titled "From Bad to Worse," the rights group highlighted intimidation and harassment of journalists, encouragement to self-censor, as well as increased control of the media.

Based on 26 interviews with journalists and experts, the report said journalists "have become targets in various ways", including online harassment that is "often orchestrated or encouraged" by pro-government actors.

"Widespread and deliberate constraints against journalism in Greece create an environment where critical reporting is stifled and self-censorship becomes the norm," HRW's Europe and Central Asia director Hugh Williamson said in a statement.

The group has called for "stronger action" from the European Commission.

HRW pointed to a 2022 illegal phone tapping scandal in which journalists and politicians were targeted with spyware named Predator, a case that ultimately engulfed the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The report also highlighted what it deemed abusive lawsuits (SLAPP) by companies and politicians against journalists, noting the absence of anti-SLAPP legal measures in Greece.

The New Democracy government also used state advertising funds to favour pro-government media, the group said.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) ranked Greece 89th out of 180 countries in its global press freedom index for 2025.

Among the 27 EU member states, Greece came last for the fourth year in a row.

The European Parliament last year adopted a resolution expressing "serious concerns about the deterioration of the rule of law and media freedom in Greece".

The Greek government subsequently dismissed these criticisms, calling them "exaggerated" and lacking concrete evidence.