Cleared in Greek border case, Austrian activist now sues EU data chief over Europol record

by · EUobserver

Natalie Gruber: ‘The only job of the EDPS is to protect personal data, and the way they handled my case is, I would say, the exact opposite: is protecting Europol instead of personal data’ (Source: Natalie Gruber)

EU politics

Unlock article and share
By Nikolaj Nielsen,
Brussels
,

The EU’s data protection watchdog is being sued and accused of shielding Europe’s police agency Europol, in a case that could have wide reaching repercussions for human rights defenders and activists.

“I’ve lived in a state of emergency for almost six years,” says
Natalie Gruber, an Austrian national who documented fundamental rights violations against migrants in Greece through her now-disbanded organisation Josoor.

Speaking to EUobserver on Thursday (10 September), Gruber lodged the case earlier this week at the EU General Court and is represented by Iftach Cohen, a lawyer at Front-lex, a Dutch-based civil society organisation.

Among other things, the case alleges that the European Data Protection Supervisor (EDPS) had failed to protect her rights after she spent years trying to obtain her own personal information held by Europol, amid a Greek-led criminal investigation that was later dismissed.

They are now seeking €130,000 in damages.

When she finally managed to get indirect partial access, the EDPS revealed that her data had been held for the alleged crime of “forcing the competent authorities to rescue migrants,” according to court documents filed by Front-lex.

“This is a manifest non-crime,” said Cohen, suggesting this would entitle Europol to process the personal data of a political activist for opposing a referendum or for trying to organise a Gay Pride event.

Gruber's backstory leading up to the EDPS court case goes back to 2020 when Turkey allowed thousands of people to cross through the Greek land border, sparking an international crisis with Athens temporarily suspending asylum. Thousands more were stuck at the land border.

Josoor arrived at the scene in March 2020, providing humanitarian relief and documenting violations. A month later, the Greeks quietly launched a criminal investigation into Josoor and three other NGOs. In September 2020, the Greeks went public with a press release.

"We were exposing their crimes, so they tried their best to discredit us and deter us from doing it, and others also," said Gruber.

To read this story, log in or subscribe

Enjoy access to all articles and 25 years of archives, comment and gift articles. Become a subscriber for as low as €1,75 per week.

Read without limits
Already a subscriber? Login
Unlock article and share

Latest from Data protection

EU under pressure to withdraw from US data transfer deal

Latest from Europol

EU action against ‘The Com’, a nihilist online extremist network, shows that security policies might be outdated

Exclusive: Leaked legal advice questions legality of EU Commission’s Israeli police data-deal

Latest from Frontex

EU Commission has ‘open questions’ for Spain on request for Frontex to expand in Ceuta

Exclusive: Frontex returned almost 50 people to Afghanistan this year with help from NGO fronted by UK security veterans

Latest from Greece

Iceland’s referendum tests whether Europe respects uncomfortable votes — as the UK, Greece and Cyprus did before

Europe’s 2026 wildfires show the cost of ignoring prevention

Latest from Migration

EU moves to expand ‘outermost region’ privileges as Spain presses Ceuta and Melilla claim

Ceuta’s migration crisis is becoming a gift to Spain’s (and Europe’s) far-right

Latest from EU politics

EU moves to curb Airbnb‑style rentals in bid to ease housing stress

EU promises to look beyond ‘price alone’ in reform of public procurement rules

Natalie Gruber: 'The only job of the EDPS is to protect personal data, and the way they handled my case is, I would say, the exact opposite: is protecting Europol instead of personal data' (Source: Natalie Gruber)

Topics

Author Bio

Nikolaj Nielsen joined EUobserver in 2012 and covers home affairs. He is originally from Denmark, but spent much of his life in France and in Belgium. He was awarded the King Baudouin Foundation grant for investigative journalism in 2010.

+ Follow author by email