The Court of Appeals in Athens has initiated a review of the sentences for the deadly Mati fire disaster case, following an outrage of victims’ relatives and an appeal against the controversial ruling.
On April 29 and after an 18-month trial, the court convicted only six of the 21 defendants in total, imposing sentences of up to five years, converted to fines of 10 euros per day.
Five top officials of the Fire Brigade and the Civil Protection along with the elderly man who started the fire in Daou on Penteli mountain despite the gale-force winds were found guilty of “manslaughter by negligence” and “bodily harm by negligence”,.
Τhe court decision triggered an outrage among the 104 victims’ families and the society, forcing the intervention of the Supreme Court with the Court of Appeals to appeal the entire decision, including the acquittals and reduced sentences.
The case will be reexamined in its entirety, addressing both the defendants’ sentences and the conversion of their penalties. Concerns over potential statute of limitations -in 2026 – underscore the urgency for swift judicial action.
Exempted from the review is reportedly the sentence to the elderly man who started the fire.
The fire in the seaside resort of Mati in July 2018 claimed the lives of 104 people, among them children and elderly, and left dozens injured physically and psychologically.
It seems no one can trust the actions for good of Erdoğan.So Greece must continue to be deeply very much on its guard to defend its well earned democracy now days.