Court acquits actress Panagiota Vlanti in defamation lawsuit filed by Giorgos Kimoulis

The Athens Single-Member Misdemeanor Court has acquitted actress Panagiota Vlanti of defamation charges brought against her by actor and director Giorgos Kimoulis. The legal dispute stemmed from public statements made by Vlanti in 2023 during newspaper and television interviews regarding alleged abusive behavior by Kimoulis. Vlanti had claimed that the director engaged in verbal and physical abuse toward his colleagues, citing the #metoo movement context. The prosecutor requested her acquittal, noting that Vlanti believed her statements to be true based on testimonies from other actors and a decision from the Hellenic Actors' Union (SEH). The court accepted this recommendation, finding that the necessary intent for defamation was not established. The judge determined that the defendant's primary aim was to denounce behaviors she believed to be factual. This ruling concludes the criminal proceedings initiated by Kimoulis, although previous reports suggested ongoing legal tension between the two parties.