Archbishop's lawsuit against the journalist Aristidis Vikettos with the “background” of the Archbishop's elections – Reporter's response via lawyer – “Until Monday to officially confirm or deny the written agreement between himself and Metropolitan Tamasos”
Litigation for defamation against the journalist Aristides Vikettos, the Archbishop of Cyprus Georgios stated.
As it became known through a reply letterissued by the journalist's lawyer, the defamation case, which was registered yesterday, July 27, is the result of the journalist's statements in a broadcast on the Alpha Cyprus television station on 13/05/2024.
The journalist, through his lawyer, calls on the Archbishop, until Monday July 1, to officially confirm or deny the written agreement between himself and Metropolitan Tamasos Isaias that took place before the Archdiocesan elections in the year 2022.
In fact, the lawyer states unequivocally that the action of the Archbishop to proceed with the lawsuit gives him a painful impression, because it proves, as he states, absolute lack of respect for Freedom of Speech and expression as defined by, among others, the Article 19 of the Constitution and Article 10 of the ECHR.
“This action of the Archbishop is a great blow to the entire Journalistic world of Cyprus because we must not forget the difficulties that journalists went through in our country until they reached a Democratic level of freedom of speech and expression just shortly after the establishment of of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960. May I be allowed to mention that this is the first time that a defamation action was brought against our principal in his 40-plus years in the field of combative journalism, and in fact by the Primate of the Church of Cyprus, which he never did his predecessor, Mr. Chrysostomos II, against officials of the Press and the Media of General Information”, he states.
He also pointed out that he is sure that the Archbishop's lawyers have informed him that, when someone registers an unfounded lawsuit against someone who is righteous, he will face Justice sooner or later.
Finally, he called on the Archbishop “until Monday 1/07/2024 to officially confirm or deny the documents agreement between himself and Metropolitan Tamasos Isaias that took place before the Archbishop elections in the year 2022”.
