Supreme Court reviews release of Alexandros Giotopoulos

Alexandros Giotopoulos, the 82-year-old convicted leader of the terrorist organization 17 November, was released on May 21, 2026, after serving nearly 24 years of a 17-time life sentence plus 25 years. His release by the Piraeus Council of Appeals followed his fifth attempt and was based on health issues, his age, good behavior during prison furloughs, and academic achievements while incarcerated. However, the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Konstantinos Tzavellas, has ordered Deputy Prosecutor Sofoklis Logothetis to evaluate the legality of this decision, as many argue he has not yet served the mandatory 25-year minimum required by law for multiple life sentences. The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a strong condemnation of the release, describing it as an insult to the memory of Turkish diplomats murdered by the organization in Athens. Giotopoulos, who has consistently maintained his innocence regarding the moral authorship of the group's crimes, remains free under restrictive conditions pending a final ruling by the Supreme Court. The ultimate decision on whether to annul his release will rest with the Criminal Division of the Supreme Court.