Father Antony acquitted over "Ark" facilities in Epirus – reactions over discrepancy with Athens
The three-member court of misdemeanours in Ioannina unanimously acquitted Father Antony over the "Ark of the World" facilities in Pogonianī and Konítsa. The decision raised questions about differing judicial treatment compared with Athens.
Unanimous acquittal of Father Antony by Ioannina court over cases in Epirus
Father Antonis, the founder of "Ark of the World", was unanimously acquitted by the three-member court of misdemeanours in Ioannina, according to reports by Ethnos. The case concerned allegations regarding the treatment of minors in the organisation's facilities in Pogonianī and Konítsa.
The indictment included charges of bodily harm to minors, unlawful detention, unlawful threatening and violence in the context of operating the facilities in Epirus. The acquittal ruling was issued following ten hearings and followed a recommendation by the prosecutor's office.
Other defendants acquitted
Alongside Father Antony, the court also acquitted the former director of the Ioannina facility and a pedagogue who was among the defendants. In both cases the court's decision coincided with the position of the prosecutor's office.
Reactions and questions
The decision sparked commentary on social media. Panos Mouzourakis publicly expressed his bewilderment at how, as he noted, the same person is convicted in Athens and acquitted in Ioannina. He also pointed to the difference in publicity that the respective decisions receive, thus opening a discussion about how the case was covered by the media.
Source: Ethnos