Greek crime investigating reporter executed by hit men in Athens
A Greek established crime investigating reporter has been executed outside his home in Athens, by two men on a moped.
The motive remains unknown, but the victim, George Karaivaz, has been known for investigating organised crime and police corruption, while his latest reportage posted on his blog was referring to fraudsters having managed to secure extensive (and expensive) police protection in a non compliant way.
Police considers the execution an act of professional hit men who executed him in cold blood with 10 shots from a silenced gun, while eye witnesses saw the murderer getting off the moped and firing the final shot, to make sure that the job was finished.
Police mentioned in a statement that the victim had never reported threats or asked for police protection, does not consider the crime as an act of terrorism and investigates all footage from surrounding cameras and testimonies of the eye witnesses.
The death has been a huge shock to the journalistic and political world of the country, but also caused reactions on a global level, with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen urging justice for the “despicable, cowardly” murder and European Parliament speaker David Sassoli tweeted that he was “devastated” by the news. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has ordered a speedy investigation, while the government spokeswoman commented that his death “shocked us all”.
Media freedom organisations said it must be established whether Karaivaz was killed for his work, while his close associates commented that ‘they shut his mouth up with bullets’.
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