An Athens mixed jury court on Wednesday acquitted the two defendants in the trial for the murder of prominent journalist Giorgos Karaivaz, who was gunned down with 13 bullets outside his home in April 2021.
The two defendants were arrested in April 2023 as street surveillance cameras located them in the area of the murder and identified them due to their van. The two had claimed that they were in the area to distribute leaflets for their business.
The court, which included both judges and a majority of jurors, found there was insufficient evidence to convict the two brothers, aged 49 and 41, of the crime.With the exception of one judge, the mixed jury court decided against the prosecutor’s proposal to convict the two defendants.
The acquittal was decided by significant majorities of 5-2 and 6-1.
The prosecutor had previously recommended a guilty verdict for both defendants, who faced charges of premeditated homicide and illegal possession of firearms. The prosecutor argued that the murder was connected to organized crime and suggested that the motive might be related to Karaivaz’s investigative reporting and his plans to expose certain information.
53-year-old Karaivaz, an experienced crime reporter, had connections within the Greek underworld and with corrupt police officers associated with it. He was also a key witness in a 2015-2017 National Intelligence Service (EYP) investigation into corrupt police and sex/gambling rackets.
After the court decision Karaivaz’s wife and sister appealed to authorities to continue the investigation into the murder of their beloved one.
Three and a half years later the murder of Karaivaz remains a crime without punishment.
Useless and corrupt Greek legal system. What did you expect: justice?