Topaloudi Case: Court of Cassation Re-examines Conviction of Greek Defendant
The rape and murder case of Eleni Topaloudi returns to Greece's Court of Cassation for a second time, with the convicted Greek defendant seeking review of his conviction.
Court of Cassation: New hearing on Topaloudi murder in Rhodes
On Tuesday 17 November 2026, the rape and murder case of 21-year-old student Eleni Topaloudi in Rhodes returns to the Court of Cassation, nearly eight years after the crime. According to Newsit.gr, one of the two convicted men — the Greek defendant — is seeking review of the decision that rejected the appeals of both perpetrators.
In the courtroom, the lawyer of the convicted Greek defendant will face off against the lawyer representing the Topaloudi family.
What the review concerns
The petition is directed against the Court of Cassation's decision regarding the appeals of both convicted men. The new proceedings do not constitute a retrial, nor do they mean a fresh examination of the guilt of the two men, according to information reported by Newsit.gr citing dimokratiki.gr. The court is called upon to rule whether the previous decision regarding the procedural defects was legally sound.
Defence arguments
The lawyer of the convicted Greek defendant, Mr Ambrazis, has maintained since 2020 that his client's responsibility was less than that of the Albanian co-defendant. He bases this view on the fact that his client is left-handed, whereas most of the wounds on the victim's body are said to have been inflicted by a right-handed person.
He also contends that the fingerprints on the iron used in the attack belong exclusively to the Albanian co-defendant. The convicted Greek man admits only to a "powerful hook punch" and denies any active participation in transporting the semi-conscious girl to the sea. Mr Ambrazis also invokes audiovisual material which, in his view, was not properly evaluated, as well as contradictions in the forensic medical report regarding whether the victim resisted.
The crime and the convictions
On 27 November 2018, according to the indictment, the two perpetrators picked up Eleni Topaloudi from her home in Rhodes and drove her to a rural house in the Pines of Lindos area. There they gang-raped her and beat her with fists and an iron, while attempting to strangle her. Severely wounded and semi-conscious, she was transported to the rocky cove "Fokia" and thrown into the sea. Her death was caused by drowning; her body was found on 28 November. The two defendants were arrested on 5 December 2018.
On 15 May 2020, the Mixed Jury Court of Athens, following a trial lasting nearly five months, found them unanimously guilty of wilful murder and gang rape, imposing on each a life sentence and an additional 15 years' imprisonment, without mitigating circumstances. In May 2022, the Mixed Jury Court of Appeals of Athens unanimously upheld the conviction and sentences, rejecting all defence motions, including recognition of mitigating circumstances. In May 2024, the Court of Cassation rejected the appeals, making the sentences final.
Legal proceedings continue
Despite the rejection of the appeals, a petition for review followed. The January 2025 hearing ended without a decision and a new trial date was set. Tuesday 17 November 2026 marks the new critical date, with the Court of Cassation called upon to rule whether its 2024 decision stands legally. Eleni Topaloudi has become a symbol of the fight against gender-based violence in Greece.
Source: Newsit.gr