CEDH · CASELAW;COMMUNICATEDCASES;ENG — 7 octobre 2025

.s800EAC49 { font-size:12pt } .s379BC09C { margin-top:36pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-align:right } .sBB9EE52A { font-family:Arial } .s32563E28 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt } .s5E1364CA { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:12pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:14pt } .s339D85E6 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:14pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s665E407E { margin-top:66pt; margin-bottom:14pt; text-align:center; page-break-inside:avoid; page-break-after:avoid } .s29100277 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold } .s10950C61 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; text-indent:14.2pt; text-align:justify } .sA36B60A1 { font-family:Arial; font-style:italic } .s4ACA9207 { page-break-before:always; clear:both; mso-break-type:section-break } .s75A32C27 { border-collapse:collapse } .s3695F815 { border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top; background-color:#dfdfdf } .s2EF62ED2 { margin-top:0pt; margin-bottom:0pt; font-size:12pt } .sEECE831 { font-family:Arial; font-weight:bold; color:#474747 } .sE8934522 { border:0.75pt solid #949494; padding:1.02pt 5.03pt; vertical-align:top } Published on 27 October 2025   THIRD SECTION Application no. 31408/20 Sotiris BOUZARAS against Greece and 3 other applications (see list appended) communicated on 7 October 2025 SUBJECT MATTER OF THE CASE The applications concern criminal convictions of the applicants for (slanderous) defamation, for the publications made in their capacity as journalists (in cases nos.   31408/20, 46607/22 and 14825/25) or editor and owner of newspaper (in case no. 35813/20). The details of each case can be found in the appended table. The applicants complain under Article 10 of the Convention that the domestic courts interfered with their right to freedom of expression. The applicant in case 14825/25 complains under Article 6 of the Convention that the sentence imposed on him was disproportionate. QUESTIONS TO THE PARTIES Has there been an interference with the applicants’ freedom of expression, within the meaning of Article 10 § 1 of the Convention? If so, was the interference prescribed by law and necessary in terms of Article 10 § 2 in pursuit of a legitimate aim? Were the sanctions imposed on the applicants proportionate to the aims pursued? Has the balancing exercise been carried out by the national authorities in conformity with the criteria laid down in the Court’s case-law (see Balaskas v. Greece , no. 73087/17, §§   36-65, 5   November 2020, with further references)?   APPENDIX No. Application no. Case name Lodged on Applicant Year of Birth Place of Residence Nationality Represented by Relevant Facts Final Decision Penalty 1. 31408/20 Bouzaras v. Greece 15/07/2020 Sotiris BOUZARAS 1973 Komotini Greek   The applicant is a journalist, who in April and May 2016 published in a local newspaper two articles relating to the alleged sexual abuse of a five-year-old child by a priest. The latter allegedly had connections to Ms Ch.N. who had founded an institution to host young children and was the daughter of a high-ranking judge. Ms Ch.N., who was not named in the articles, lodged a criminal complaint for slanderous defamation against the applicant. Decision no.   1685/2019 of the Court of Cassation rejecting the appeal on points of law against decision no.   501/2019 of the Three-Member Thrace Court of Appeal. The decision was delivered on 29   October   2019 and finalised on 1   June   2020. 9   months of imprisonment 2. 35813/20 Korovesis and Kortzidis v. Greece 06/08/2020 Panagiotis KOROVESIS 1961 Argyroupoli Attikis Greek Christos KORTZIDIS 1958 Elliniko Attikis Greek Vasileios PAPASTERGIOU The first applicant is the director and editor of a newspaper published by a municipal party. The second applicant is the president and legal representative of the municipal party, which was the owner of the newspaper. In January 2017 an article was published in the newspaper criticising the mayor of Elliniko-Argyroupoli for his intention to create a waste management station in the place of sports facilities. The mayor lodged a criminal complaint against the applicants for slanderous defamation. Decision no.   328/2020 of the Court of Cassation rejecting the appeal on points of law against decision no.   2835/2018 of the Three-Member Athens Appeal Court for Misdemeanours. The decision was delivered on 25   February   2020 and finalised on 9   April   2020. 4   months of imprisonment 3. 46607/22 Bouzaras v. Greece 27/09/2022 Sotirios BOUZARAS 1973 Komotini RODOPIS Greek   The applicant is a journalist in a local newspaper and website. In June 2016 he published two articles on the website with the headings: “World novelty: even if lawyers abstain, in Komotini they participate in trials through Facebook” and “Extreme nationalist interests that are attempting to extort judicial decisions”. In these articles he made various allegations against his opponents in a civil litigation and their lawyer, E.N. The latter lodged a criminal complaint against the applicant for slanderous defamation. Decision no.   541/2022 of the Court of Cassation rejecting the appeal on points of law against decision no.   393/2020 of the Three-Member Komotini Misdemeanour Court. The decision was delivered on 11   April   2022 and finalised on 1   July   2022. 18   months of imprisonment 4. 14825/25 Charalambopoulos v. Greece 07/05/2025 Eleftherios CHARALAMBOPOULOS 1971 Athens Greek Apostolos PONTAS The applicant is a journalist and director of a news website. Between 3 November and 2   December   2016, the applicant posted several comments of political nature on his wall on Facebook, without naming the person to whom these comments were referring. Z.K., president of a political party, lodged a criminal complaint against the applicant for slanderous defamation. Decision no.   18/2025 of the Court of Cassation rejecting the appeal on points of law against decision no. 2905/2024 of the Three-Member Athens Misdemeanour Court. The decision was delivered on 8   January   2025. 16   months of imprisonment