Court of Appeal Reopens Alkis Kampanos Case

Learner News | 11/01/2025

This edition of Greek Learner News is all about the resurgence of the Alkis Kampanos case. Discover the latest developments as the appeals court revisits a pivotal incident that shook Thessaloniki and why it’s back in the spotlight.

Court of Appeal Reopens Alkis Kampanos Case

The news in Greek

Η υπόθεση1 φόνοι του Άλκη Καμπάνου επιστρέφει στο προσκήνιο2 με νέο δίκη3 στο Εφετείο4 Θεσσαλονίκης. Δώδεκα οπαδοί της ΠΑΟΚ είναι κατηγορούμενοι5 για το θάνατο του Άλκη. Επτά κατηγορούμενοι6 καταδικάστηκαν7 σε ισόβια κάθειρξη. Ο δικαστής επανεξετάζει τις ποινές. Ο Άλκης ήταν 19 ετών και ήταν με τους φίλους του όταν έγινε το επεισόδιο.

  1. υπόθεση (f.)
    το σύνολο των στοιχείων που συνδέονται με ένα δικαστικό θέμα ↩︎
  2. προσκήνιο (n.)
    η επιφάνεια ή η φάση ενός θεάματος που προβάλλεται ↩︎
  3. δίκη (f.)
    η διαδικασία που γίνεται στο δικαστήριο για να κριθεί αν κάποιος είναι ένοχος ή αθώος ↩︎
  4. Εφετείο (n.)
    ανώτερο δικαστήριο που κρίνει εφέσεις ↩︎
  5. κατηγορούμενος (m.)
    το άτομο που κατηγορείται για ένα έγκλημα ↩︎
  6. κατηγορούμενος (m.)
    το άτομο που κατηγορείται για ένα έγκλημα ↩︎
  7. καταδικάζω
    η δικαστική απόφαση με την οποία κάποιος κρίνεται ένοχος και επιβάλλεται ποινή ↩︎

Translation

The case of Alkis Kampanos’ murder returns to the limelight with a new trial at the Thessaloniki Court of Appeal. Twelve fans of PAOK are accused of Alkis’s death. Seven defendants were sentenced to life imprisonment. The judge is re-evaluating the sentences. Alkis was 19 years old and was with his friends when the incident occurred.

Text Comprehension

Question: How many people are accused in the Alkis Kampanos case?

Twelve people are accused.

Question: What was Alkis Kampanos doing when the incident happened?

He was with his friends.

Vocabulary

GreekEnglish
υπόθεση (f.)case
προσκήνιο (n.)foreground
δίκη (f.)trial
Εφετείο (n.)Court of Appeal
κατηγορούμενος (m.)defendant
καταδικάζωconvict

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Read the full story

A group of twelve young PAOK fans are once again standing trial. Seven of them previously received life sentences, along with additional extended imprisonment, for joint manslaughter with possible intent, while five others were given temporary prison sentences as accomplices to the act. The Appeals Court proceedings open up the possibility for a fresh assessment, as it is not bound by the previous court’s decision. This is due to the appeal lodged by Nikos Kallidis, the head of the Thessaloniki Public Prosecutor’s Office, who argued for harsher penalties.

Kallidis contended that the initial ruling misjudged the nature of the charge, which should have been manslaughter with direct intent. He also proposed reclassification for three of the accused: one should face charges for moral instigation of manslaughter with direct intent, while the other two should be charged as co-perpetrators. However, the appeal does not affect two of the accused, ensuring that their positions cannot worsen.

Court of Appeal Reopens Alkis Kampanos Case
Court of Appeal Reopens Alkis Kampanos Case

The case has generated considerable public interest not only because it involves the death of Kampanos but also for including related charges of assault against two of his friends during the same violent incident in February 2002.

A notable development in this retrial is the absence of prominent lawyer Alexis Kougias, who was initially part of the prosecution. Kougias cited a lack of connection with those he represented, opting instead to leave the role to other colleagues. In a statement, he expressed hope that the new legal team would help achieve a fair decision honoring Kampanos’ memory.

Aristeidis Kampanos, Alkis’ father, expressed the emotional toll of the prolonged legal process, describing it as an unending struggle. He emphasized the importance of justice not just for their family but for society at large, highlighting the detrimental impact on both his own and the defendants’ families.

Info: “Greek Learner News” is a service from “Let’s Learn Greek”, where we provide various types of online courses to help you master the language. Explore our offerings of Greek classes designed for learners at all levels.


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