Trial of activist’s death postponed indefinitely due to pandemic

The trial over the death of 33-year-old LGBTQI activist Zak Kostopoulos in September 2018 in central Athens has been postponed indefinitely as the court decided that the room where the trial is being held does not fulfil the safety measures required in the pandemic.

The trial started on October 21, but it had not progressed much. No new date was announced.

Six people – two store owners and four police officers – are facing charges of causing fatal bodily harm.

Kostopoulos was killed after he entered a jewelry store in downtown Athens and was attacked by the business’s owner and another man who allegedly mistook him for a robber. Four police officers who arrived at the scene were shown in a video hitting him while he was on the ground.

The government later announced that all courts would suspend their operation for the duration of the lockdown.