Appeal filed against the acquittal of the “Spartiates”

The Prosecutor’s Office of the Athens Court of Appeals has filed an appeal against the recent acquittal by the Athens Single-Member Court of Appeal concerning the “Spartiates” party, as reported.

This original ruling cleared 11 current and former members of the “Spartiates” party, along with Ilias Kasidiaris and a lawyer, of allegations related to voter deception. The case attracted attention from the Supreme Court prosecutor following claims made by the party’s president, Vasilis Stigas.

Stigas had previously addressed Parliament, alleging the existence of a “Greek mafia” and instances of blackmail within his party, implicitly targeting Ilias Kasidiaris. However, during the trial, he retracted these statements, citing misinformation and emotional distress. The court ultimately acquitted all defendants on May 14, fully endorsing the presiding prosecutor’s recommendation.

Nonetheless, the Appeals Prosecutor’s Office has taken a different view. In its appeal, the office asserts that the full indictment is well-founded, especially considering that trial testimonies indicated that members of the “Spartiates” visited Kasidiaris in prison.

Moreover, sources suggest that the appeal refers to Stigas’s initial testimony before Supreme Court Prosecutor G. Adilinis, who is examining the case. Although Stigas later retracted this testimony, the appeal posits that this withdrawal might have been made under duress—possibly due to the potential annulment of the “Spartiates” MPs’ elections, a situation still awaiting resolution before the Supreme Special Court.