The trial of 26 defendants in the case of the 12-year-old girl from Kolonos, who was a victim of sexual violence and exploitation, will be held in room D4 of the Athens Court of Appeal, by decision of the Minister of Justice, Giorgos Floridis. The main defendants in this case are Ilias Michos and the 37-year-old mother of the minor.

The trial has been set for January 8, 2024 and all defendants have already completed 12 months of pre-trial detention. Initially, the first meeting of the Joint Jury Court of Athens for this case will take place in a room of the newly built Peace Court, on Degleri Street, and then the trial will be held in room D4 of the ground floor of the Athens Court of Appeal, on Loukareos Street. This room was judged to ensure the appropriate conditions for the trial of a multi-person trial, with a large number of defendants, prosecution and defense witnesses, as well as advocates.

Finding a suitable room, started at the initiative of the Minister of Justice, who, in order to avoid what had happened in previous high-profile cases, such as the deadly fire in Mati with 104 dead, asked the head of the Court of First Instance of Athens to inform him of the existence of a suitable room in the Court of First Instance.

However, due to the impossibility of conducting the disputed trial in appropriate human conditions, it was decided by Mr. Floridis that the trial be transferred to a room of the Athens Court of Appeal.

It is recalled that, according to the referral will (2865/2023), the two main defendants in the case, Ilias Michos and the mother of the 12-year-old girl, will sit in the dock for serious crimes involving sexual violence and prostitution of a minor.