Overview
- The Mytilene Court of Appeals began hearing the case against former ERCI volunteers for operations carried out during the refugee crisis on Lesbos.
- Prosecutors allege facilitation of illegal entry, membership of a criminal organization, and money laundering, offenses that carry sentences of up to 20 years.
- High-profile defendants include Sarah Mardini and Seán Binder, who were arrested in 2018 and spent more than 100 days in pre-trial detention.
- Amnesty International and other observers are monitoring proceedings, arguing the indictments lack evidence and citing documented due-process failures.
- Earlier misdemeanor counts, including espionage, were dropped or dismissed in 2023 and 2024, even as Greece tightened migration laws that increase the risk of charges for assisting arrivals.