The public prosecutors’ office on Monday launched a preliminary investigation into allegations made on social media and various media articles that non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in charge of unaccompanied refugee minors were involved in the case of former National Theatre director Dimitris Lignadis during the period 2017-2018.
The head of the first-instance court prosecutors, Sotiria Papageorgakopoulou, has ordered the investigation of all articles and posts claiming that the NGOs responsible for running shelters for unaccompanied refugee and migrant children at that time arranged for them to have drama lessons with Lignadis, who is currently facing charges as a serial rapist.
The investigation was ordered after a memo-complaint by the Migration Ministry’s Special Secretary for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors, Irene Agapidaki, who requested that authorities look into the allegations.
According to the reports, many of the children expressed reluctance and refused to return after two or three lessons, and those responsible did not ask to know the reason, why they did not want to visit Lignadis nor did they make any report of it.
Some reports alleged that a social worker was involved as mediator between the minors and the stage director and actor.
So far, three NGO’s have allegedly been involved in the case, state-run news agency amna reported citing the allegations.
Already two NGOs issued statements saying they had nothing to do with the case as they had not structuring sheltering children.
Lignadis, 56, appeared before a court in Athens on Sunday and was given until Wednesday to respond to charges of multiple rapes of minors by an examining magistrate. He will remain jailed until then, court authorities reportedly said.
Lignadis resigned on February 6 as the artistic director of Greece’s National Theater amid reports of his alleged behavior.
