Amid protests over a delay in the conclusion of the appeal trial in the September 2018 death of Zac Kostopoulos, the Joint Court of Appeal announced today that the verdict for the broker and jeweler, who have been convicted at first instance of causing death, will be announced on the 10th of July.

In front of the court, the last of the defense attorneys’ arguments ended today, an argument that brought the curtain down on the hearing which was watched by relatives and friends of the 33-year-old activist and dozens of citizens standing by the family.

The president’s announcement that the court is not able to announce its decision within June, giving a hearing for July 10, caused reactions.

First she tof the mother of the 33-year-old victims. “Are you kidding us? We can’t take it anymore,” said Mrs. Kostopoulou, who was waiting for the court’s verdict on the two businessmen. The tension peaked when some members of the public began to shout slogans, while the police took measures to safely exit the defendants’ room.

The two businessmen have been sentenced in the first degree to 10 years imprisonment each for grievous bodily harm.

In his ruling, the Chief Prosecutor of the MOE has requested that the two defendants be declared guilty as in the first instance, citing among others the video material where the two businessmen are seen severely beating Kostopoulos shortly before he passed out on the pedestrian street of Gladstonos Street.