Newsroom
Journalist, researcher and author Makarios Drousiotis says he raised €50,000 in just 36 hours, reaching the full target of his online campaign to pay for his legal defense.
The campaign had already collected more than €35,000 within its first day. By Tuesday evening, Drousiotis said the remaining amount had come in, covering his immediate legal and forensic costs.
He thanked everyone who supported him, paying particular tribute to people who donated €5 or €10 despite having little money to spare.
50.000 ευρώ σε 36 ώρες. Σας ευχαριστώ!
— MAKARIOS DROUSIOTIS (@makdrou) August 11, 2026
Σας ευχαριστώ θερμά για τη στήριξη σας, οικονομική και ηθική.
Πραγματικά δεν έχω λόγια. Η ανταπόκριση ήταν συγκινητική.
Ιδιαίτερα από εκείνους που έδωσαν από το υστέρημα τους 5 και 10 ευρώ.
Σε 36 ώρες καλύφθηκε ο στόχος των 50.000 ευρώ.… pic.twitter.com/rCHbvGCUTH
For Drousiotis, he said, the response was about more than reaching a number on a fundraising page. It showed him that he was not alone.
He described his legal battle as part of a wider public reaction against what he called a “mafia state,” rather than simply a personal fight.
Drousiotis said every cent would be used for his defense and promised to publish a full account of how the money is spent, including invoices and proof of payments.
The funds will allow him to continue independent forensic examinations of digital files linked to the criminal case against him.
Drousiotis faces charges of knowingly and deliberately publishing false information, as well as alleged harassment connected to material he made public. He denies wrongdoing and maintains that his reporting was carried out in the public interest.
He said he holds a large volume of digital material but has published only a small part of it. According to Drousiotis, forensic work completed so far supports earlier findings, and nothing has emerged to change his belief that the messages at the center of the case are genuine.
The allegations remain before the courts and have not yet been proven.
The fundraiser itself has also attracted official attention. Interior Minister Constantinos Ioannou has asked police to examine whether it was launched without the permit required under fundraising legislation. Police will determine whether any law was broken.
Drousiotis said he would continue providing updates on his case and the forensic examinations, promising his supporters that the money would be fully accounted for.
