Drousiotis fundraiser referred to police over possible legal breach

The online fundraiser launched by journalist Makarios Drousiotis to cover his legal costs has been referred to police for investigation, Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou said on Tuesday. Ioannou said the ministry had instructed police to examine whether the campaign breached legislation governing public fundraising. Drousiotis launched the campaign on Monday under the title ‘I ask for your help to defend the truth’, saying the funds would be used exclusively for his legal defence, independent forensic examinations and other costs arising from the proceedings. The campaign has raised some €47,000 from 724 donors by Tuesday afternoon, according to figures displayed on the GoGetFunding platform. Related Articles • Drousiotis and ‘Sandy’ face 101 counts in criminal case • Police file criminal case against both Drousiotis and Sandy • Authority avoids clear answer about lawyer’s possible link • Questions continue over Drousiotis lawyer’s links to Mafia State probe • Combative Anastasiades fights back against Mafia State allegations • Anastasiades protests innocence, blasts ‘smears’ and ‘toxicity’ “There is a clear procedure for anyone wishing to conduct a fundraiser,” the minister said, under which an application must be submitted to the competent fundraising committee for consideration and approval or rejection. He said instructions had been given for a letter to be sent to police, asking the competent authority to investigate “any possible commission of a criminal offence” under the fundraising legislation. Ioannou’s intervention followed discussion on social media over whether a permit was required for the campaign. He cautioned against drawing conclusions about the ministry’s actions before the investigation had taken place. Drousiotis is facing criminal proceedings which arose from publications concerning the Sandy affair. He rejects the allegations and has described the prosecution as “vindictive in nature”. He has also said the funds raised would be accounted for publicly, with expenditure to be disclosed. The fundraiser was launched after Drousiotis said he faced significant legal costs and described himself as being close to “financial annihilation”. He has separately said police opened a second criminal investigation concerning alleged personal data offences arising from his book Mafia State. He has rejected the allegations and said the investigation was intended to discredit him in connection with his reporting and research. The separate Sandy case involves Drousiotis, and a woman known publicly as ‘Sandy’, with the pair facing a total of around 101 counts. Drousiotis has vowed to contest the allegations in court.