The Court of Appeals of Athens will commence the appeals trial for the deadly 2018 Mati fire tragedy, today, July 8.
The process has been expedited and is considered “record time” for the Greek justice department. To ensure a verdict as soon as possible, the court will not adjourn even for the tradition annual summer holidays in August.
The expedited scheduling aims to ensure that the statute of limitations does not lapse for any individuals charged in relation to the deadly wildfire, with a deadline set for July 2026.
The appeal of the initial verdict of April 29, 2024, was called by bench prosecutor Spyros Pappas.
The decision of the lower court caused widespread outrage among survivors, relatives of victims and the general public when just 6 of the 21 accused were found guilty and were handed out shortened sentences of between 3-5 years.
Moreover, the guilty were informed that they can convert their sentences into a fine of just 10 euros per day.
As a result, the appeal will involve a review of both the sentencing for those defendants convicted in the first instance, as well as the exoneration of other defendants by a three-justice misdemeanor court.
The 2018 Mati fire resulted in more than one hundred deaths, numerous injuries, severe burns, and mass loss of property.
