We publish the statement of the common campaign in Greece, Cyprus and Turkey against extractions and war on the court case of Eldorado Gold against the news cooperative Alterthess.
On March 3, the court case of the prosecution against the news cooperative Alterthess and the journalist Stavroula Poulimeni, is being heard. This comes after the lawsuit against them by an executive of Eldorado Gold, the multinational company in charge of mining works in Chalkidiki, Northern Greece.
This is the second corporation, within a short period of time, whose operation creates a negative environmental impact, that is filing a lawsuit against a journalist, seeking a huge compensation (100.000 euros!), as well as a one-year imprisonment sentence if the compensation is not paid.
In the article under dispute, the journalist was giving information on the final court decision against high-ranking Eldorado executives for environmental legislation violations, specifically for water pollution in the area. It should be noted that there is a trial pending for two other high-ranking executives of the company before a criminal court.
The lawsuit is considered part of a SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) tactic. This is a strategy of companies to limit public information and participation. It is clearly aimed at intimidating, silencing and crushing down journalists and environmental campaigners/activists, both legally and financially. It is also directly crippling citizens’ right to information, even on public health issues.
- We stand by Alterthess and Stavroula Poulimeni, as well as any journalist or environmental campaigner/activist who is prosecuted in similar cases.
- We ask that Eldorado’s lawsuit be dismissed. We support the struggle of the people in Chalkidiki to stop the catastrophic gold mining in the area.
- We support the solidarity protest at Evelpidon Court of Justice on Thursday, March 3, at 9:00 am!
Μας σκάβουν τον λάκκο- Greece
Kazma Birak- Turkey
Μας σκάβουν τον λάκκο / Kazma Birak- Cyprus
