Korydallos guard says he wasn't whipped

The Justice Ministry said on Saturday that a prison officer at Attica's maximum-security Korydallos Prison has denied media reports that he was beaten and whipped last week by inmates.

In a statement, the Justice Ministry accused opposition New Democracy of deliberately pushing the claim through conservative-affiliated media outlets.

The Justice Ministry made the statement after investigating reports last week according to which a guard at the prison was attacked by a group of inmates a day after finding contraband items in their cell.

"[The officer] referred to an intense verbal confrontation with swearing and threats and not to a beating or a whipping," it said.