Four individuals—two Greeks and two foreign nationals—face minor charges for allegedly using the Predator spyware to breach the communications of journalist Thanasis Koukakis and business executive Artemis Seaford.
However, the broader surveillance of government ministers, military officials, and the potential charge of espionage remain outside the court’s scope. Crucially, Greece’s National Intelligence Service (EYP) and its alleged role in the scandal are absent from the proceedings.
Among the defendants are Tal Dilian, a former Israeli intelligence officer and founder of Intellexa, the company behind Predator; his wife and Intellexa executive, Sarrah Hamo; businessman Felix Bitzios, a shareholder in the company; and Giannis Lavranos, owner of Krikel, a firm with ties to both the Greek police and intelligence services.
The case dates back to 2020, when Predator was allegedly used to spy on at least 87 individuals, including politicians, judges, journalists, and business figures. Despite in-depth media investigations and an initial inquiry by prosecutors, Greece’s Supreme Court Prosecution opted to pursue only misdemeanor charges against these four individuals, leaving the larger issue of potential state-sponsored surveillance unexamined.
Critics argue that the Greek government laid the groundwork for a cover-up as early as 2022, when the ruling New Democracy party dismissed revelations of widespread wiretapping as a “private-sector issue.” Even after the scandal forced the resignations of EYP’s director Panagiotis Kontoleon and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ top aide Grigoris Dimitriadis, judicial authorities focused only on the private sector’s use of Predator while ignoring the potential role of state institutions.
Further fueling suspicions, prosecutors did not order a forensic examination of the targeted individuals’ devices, nor were any of the identified victims—including senior government and military officials—called to testify. Despite being officially informed by Greece’s Data Protection Authority (HDPA) that they had been under surveillance, none have taken legal action.
Adding to concerns, the case is at risk of being dismissed due to the statute of limitations. The charges fall under Greece’s revised 2019 Penal Code, which downgraded wiretapping from a felony to a misdemeanor. Although the government reinstated felony status in 2022, the Predator case involves offenses committed between 2020 and 2021, meaning the older, more lenient law still applies.
Three years after the first revelations about Predator spyware, today’s trial is widely seen as a symbolic gesture rather than a serious attempt at accountability. Key witnesses—including HDPA officials and former Intellexa employees—have not been summoned, and crucial evidence remains outside the court’s purview. With the possibility of dismissal due to procedural delays, the case raises serious concerns about Greece’s commitment to the rule of law and the protection of democratic institutions.
