A three-member misdemeanors court in Athens has found all four defendants guilty in the high-profile case involving the unlawful leak of email addresses belonging to Greek expatriates during the 2024 European Parliament election campaign.
The court imposed suspended prison sentences ranging from eight to twenty months.
Among those convicted were former New Democracy MEP Anna Michelle Asimakopoulou and former Secretary General of the Ministry of Interior Michalis Stavrianoudakis. Both were found guilty of breaching official secrecy as well as violating data protection legislation.
The remaining two defendants were acquitted of charges related to breach of service confidentiality but were nonetheless found guilty of violating personal data laws.
In all cases, the court—acting in line with the prosecution’s recommendation—recognized the mitigating factor of a previously lawful life.
The verdict was delivered in the presence of the defendants, while some of the expatriate voters who had joined the proceedings as civil claimants were also present in the courtroom.
The case, which has carried notable political implications, had previously drawn the attention of Greece’s Data Protection Authority, and has also prompted parallel civil and administrative legal action by affected voters.
Following the ruling, lawyers representing the expatriate voters expressed satisfaction with the outcome. Attorney Vasilis Sotiropoulos said the decision marked a positive moment for the rule of law in Greece, while noting that the legal battle would continue on appeal and in other courts.
He emphasized that hundreds of expatriates were still pursuing compensation claims for moral damages and described continued public anger over what he called an unprecedented breach affecting more than 25,000 voters.
