A Greek court has found four people guilty and imposed jail sentences in a wiretapping scandal that shook the country in 2022.

In what became known as "Greece's Watergate," surveillance software called Predator was used to target 87 individuals, including government ministers, senior military officials, and journalists.

The Athens court convicted the four marketers of the software for misdemeanors including violating telephone communication confidentiality and illegally accessing personal data. They received lengthy suspended prison sentences pending appeal.

While each faces up to 126 years, only eight years would typically be served—the maximum for misdemeanors. One-third of those targeted were also under legal surveillance by Greece's intelligence service (EYP).

The case dates to summer 2022 when Nikos Androulakis, then an MEP, was alerted to a malicious text message. Predator spyware, marketed by Athens-based Israeli company Intellexa, can access a device's messages, camera, and microphone.

The court stated the defendants acted with participation from "unknown third parties," possibly including Greek and foreign intelligence officials, and referred case files to the Athens Prosecutor's Office for investigation of potential felonies including espionage.

The scandal has escalated into a debate over democratic accountability in Greece. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called it a scandal, but no government officials have been charged.

Source: www.bbc.com