Greek court drops espionage charges against 35 aid workers due to lack of evidence

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA) – A Greek court in the northern Aegean Island of Lesbos dropped the charges of espionage against 35 aid workers owing to the lack of evidence, a British daily reported on Wednesday.

The court ruled that there is not enough evidence to support the accusations against the defendants, The Guardian reported.

However, it noted that they still face felony charges of people smuggling, fraud and membership of a criminal organization, which are crimes under Greek law and carry up to 25-year prison term.

The aid workers, including nationals of Germany, Switzerland, Norway and Austria, were arrested in Lesbos in September 2020 in relation to an inquiry by the Greek intelligence service and anti-terrorism units that allegedly linked them to traffickers moving people from the Turkish coast to the island.

The defendants and their lawyers systemically rejected accusations to this day.