Press Legislation in Greece before the Adoption of the First Media Law (1821–1931)

Section: Media Law

The history of the formation and development of press legislation in Greece has not been studied in Russia so far, nor has the Greek model of the relationship between the state and the media. This article is the first attempt to introduce these subjects into the Russian-language academic context. It is of interest for the study of the European media law because press legislation in Greece represents its inseparable part. The study of Greek legislative acts on the press makes it possible to identify the distinctions in the situation of the press in Greece and in other European states and also to understand how unique the relations of the state and the press were on the eve of modern Greece. The study of the legislation shows that in the period from 1821 to 1931, under conditions of permanent changes in the political situation, the stable tendency of opposition and confrontation between the state and the press continued. Before the law 5060/1931 “On the press, insults to honor in general and other orders” was adopted, print media were subject to severe punishments and criminal persecution. At the same time, however, Greece proved to be one of the first European states where the idea of self-regulation of the press emerged.

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