Woman in DVD Scandal Out of Jail, Faces Trial

The Greek judicial system allows prosecutors to jail suspects ahead of trial for up to 18 months.

A former Greek Culture Ministry employee jailed for blackmailing a government official in a "sex, lies and DVDs" scandal that rocked the country was released on Wednesday pending trial.

A court official said Evi Tsekou, detained for six months charged with blackmailing a senior Culture Ministry official with a DVD of them having sex, was not allowed to leave the country and must appear twice a month at a police station.

The Greek judicial system allows prosecutors to jail suspects ahead of trial for up to 18 months.

"I am very happy ... for the air of freedom that I breath," Tsekou, 35, told reporters immediately after her release.

The scandal erupted when Culture Ministry General Secretary Christos Zachopoulos resigned and attempted to commit suicide by jumping from the fourth-floor balcony of his home after the DVD was taken to the office of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis.

It brought the popularity of Greece's ruling New Democracy party to the lowest point since it won power in 2004, less than 30 percent.