A 14-month prison sentence was handed down to a university student in Greece who, in May 2024, was caught writing a pro-Palestinian slogan on a wall at the National Technical University of Athens (NTUA).
The incident came to light after it was reported and documented by Panagiotis Tsanakas, Dean of the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering. The dean submitted photographic evidence to the authorities showing two individuals painting the slogan on university property. When asked to stop and leave, the pair allegedly ignored the request and continued their graffiti.
As reported Tsanakas later clarified in a letter to the NTUA Senate that the issue was not political but purely criminal, concerning damage to public property. He emphasized that the prosecution was based solely on vandalism, not on the political content of the message.
The case, however, has reignited a broader debate within the academic community about how universities should respond to such incidents.
Former NTUA rector and emeritus professor Nikos Markatos argued that the institution’s handling of the matter reflected a preference for punishment over education. He suggested that the university could have opted for a restorative approach—such as requiring the student to repaint the wall—rather than allowing the case to escalate into criminal proceedings.
Critics see the conviction as symbolic of a growing tendency toward harsh disciplinary measures in academic settings, raising concerns about freedom of expression and the role of universities in shaping civic responsibility.
Supporters of the court’s decision, meanwhile, maintain that public property must be protected and that political slogans, regardless of their cause, have no place on university walls.
The verdict has thus become more than a case of vandalism—it has evolved into a reflection of the delicate balance between discipline, dialogue, and dissent in Greece’s higher education system.
