Daily Times

Greece’s parliament on Thursday approved tougher sentences for sex crimes, arson and misinformation, over objections from most of the opposition and the country’s main journalist union. The bill was approved by the conservative government’s majority in the chamber. The union of Athens daily newspaper journalists Esiea had earlier called on the government to withdraw a proposed new article punishing the spread of fake news “capable of causing concern or fear to the public”. Esiea said the law — which prescribes prison sentences of at least three months — is too vague and risks restricting free speech. Justice Minister Costas Tsiaras said Greece “must adapt to today’s reality,” noting that misinformation was currently responsible for thousands of Greeks refusing to vaccinate against the coronavirus. “Who will take responsibility for the lives of people lost because somebody is persuading them not to take the vaccine?” the minister said. The new law also facilitates investigation into suspected arson and increases prison sentencing for perpetrators, after Greece was hit by the worst wildfires in over a decade this summer. The government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis came to power in 2019 pledging to improve law and order. Last year it passed another legal amendment to keep demonstrations from habitually shutting down streets in Athens and other major cities.