Seven men in northern Greece were sentenced to life in prison after being found guilty of murdering a 19-year-old soccer fan, which shocked the country and sparked a crackdown on soccer-related violence, the Associated Press reported, citing BTA.
Twelve defendants involved in the February 2022 attack were sentenced last week in the city of Thessaloniki. Seven of them received life sentences during the hearing yesterday, while the remaining five will serve 19 or 20 years in prison.
Alkis Kambanos died of stab wounds near his home and two others were injured after a group of men went looking for rival fans at random in the area next to the stadium used by Thessaloniki’s Aris football club.
“This is revenge for our family, but my boy will never come back,” the mother of slain Aris fan Alkis Kambanos told reporters outside the court after the verdicts were announced.
The attackers drove to the scene of the murder in three cars, carrying knives and wooden clubs. The accused, aged between 21 and 26, were arrested after police traced one of the cars used in the attack.
The killing led to numerous initiatives against fan violence in Greek cities, including several initiatives supported by the two main rival clubs in Thessaloniki, Aris and PAOK, including charity matches.
2023-07-13 04:28:32
#court #Thessaloniki #gave #life #sentences #murder #19yearold #football #fan
