The trial regarding the leak of email addresses of overseas voters during the 2024 European elections concluded at the Three-Judge Misdemeanor Court of Athens, with the court finding all four defendants guilty of various offenses. The prison sentences imposed range from 8 to 20 months, all suspended for three years, as the court unanimously recognized the mitigating factor of good conduct for all of them, with the prosecutor’s consent.
Specifically, former Member of the European Parliament Anna Michelle Asimakopoulou was sentenced to a total of 20 months in prison, as she was unanimously found guilty of violating personal data and, by a majority vote, of violating official secrecy. In the same case, the former Secretary General of the Ministry of the Interior, Michalis Stavrianoudakis, was sentenced to a total of 18 months in prison, having been found guilty by a majority vote on both counts. It should be noted that the presiding judge dissented in both cases, arguing in favor of acquitting them of the offense of breach of official confidentiality, while also expressing the opinion that lighter sentences should be imposed.
As for the other two defendants, the court found them guilty only of violating personal data protection laws, unanimously acquitting them of the charge of breaching official confidentiality. Specifically, the former secretary of Local Government, Menios Koromilas, was unanimously sentenced to 12 months in prison, while the then-secretary of Apodimos, Nikos Theodoropoulos, was sentenced to 8 months in prison by a majority vote, with the presiding judge again dissenting in favor of his acquittal.
The decision was announced in the presence of the former Member of the European Parliament, her co-defendants, and members of the public who had appeared in support of the prosecution. It should be noted that the Personal Data Protection Authority has already issued a ruling on the case, while appeals by affected voters are pending in both civil and administrative courts.
