Greek director Dimitris Lignadis ordered jailed on child abuse allegations

·

A court in Athens has ordered the former director of Greece’s National Theater remanded in custody after he appeared before a public prosecutor for several hours to respond to child abuse allegations.

Prominent Greek actor and director Dimitris Lignadis, 56, who denies the charges, was ordered held in jail in the early hours of Friday, defense lawyer Alexis Kougias said in a statement.

Under Greek law, suspects are not identified unless exceptions are made to serve the public interest or they identify themselves. Kougias has identified Lignadis as his client in the case, and said he will appeal the temporary custody decision.

According to reports, Lignadis is accused of rape by two men who were minors when the alleged events occurred in 2010 and 2015. He has denied any wrongdoing.

He resigned in early February as the artistic director of Greece’s National Theater amid reports of the accusations.

The case against Lignadis has triggered a major political dispute, with opposition parties calling for the ouster of Greece’s culture minister, arguing she responded too slowly to the allegations. The actor-director was appointed in 2019 by the current government.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis promised changes to laws and labor regulations to combat sexual abuse and misconduct amid a nationwide debate on the issue.

Speaking in parliament, Mitsotakis said his center-right government would introduce tougher sentencing guidelines, propose changes to statute of limitation rules for cases involving minors and create an agency to deal with claims of abuse in workplaces and organized youth activities.

Sourced By: AP News

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Hellenic spirit shines at the opening of the Odyssey Greek Festival 2025

The opening night of the 2025 Odyssey Greek Festival was a vibrant celebration of culture, memory, and community

Areti Ketime brings the spirit of rebetiko to Melbourne for the Zeibekiko Festival

The Zeibekiko Festival has returned for its third year this month with a lively Rebetika performance in Melbourne by singer Areti Ketime. 

Literary memorial in Sydney honours the legacy of esteemed scholar Dr George Kanarakis

A literary memorial in honour of Greek academic and internationally renowned linguist of Australia, Dr George Kanarakis, was held on Tuesday.

Memorial service to be held in Sydney to honour the life of Chris Felemegas

A memorial service will be held in Sydney on Sunday, October 12, to honour the life of Chris Felemegas, a figure remembered for his warmth.

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Loverdos meets Archbishop Makarios in Sydney

Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for Hellenism Abroad, Ioannis Loverdos, met with Archbishop Makarios of Australia on Tuesday.

You May Also Like

Rezoning plan for The Cyprus Club in Stanmore not supported by Inner West Council

The Cyprus Community of NSW's rezoning plan for The Cyprus Club at Stanmore hasn't been supported by the Inner West Council.

HACCI partners with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry

HACCI have announced a partnership with Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the state's most influential business organisation.

Greek Finance Minister: Greece seeks to extend Double Taxation Agreement with Australia

Christos Staikouras announced that Greece will strive to expand its network of Double Taxation Avoidance Agreements (DTAA) with Australia.