The Murder of Giorgos Karaivaz
Veteran Greek crime reporter Giorgos Karaivaz was shot outside his home in April 2021. Two brothers were later prosecuted but acquitted for insufficient evidence, and no individual has been held responsible for the killing.
Giorgos Karaivaz, a prominent Greek reporter specializing in police and organized-crime coverage, was killed near his home in Alimos, an Athens suburb, on April 9, 2021. The attack drew international attention because of his profession and because investigators described the shooting as highly organized. Years of investigation produced arrests and a trial, but not a conviction.
The killing
Karaivaz, 53, was returning home after work when he was attacked outside his residence. Reuters reported that two people on a motorcycle carried out the shooting. Authorities and press-freedom groups have described the attack as resembling a professional hit, but that description does not identify who ordered or carried out the murder and is not treated here as proof of a specific organized-crime connection.
Arrests in 2023
On April 28, 2023, Greek police announced the arrests of two brothers, then reported as aged 40 and 48, and prosecutors charged them with participation in Karaivaz's murder. Both denied involvement. Prosecutors argued that the killing was connected to Karaivaz's reporting on organized crime and relied on evidence concerning vehicles, movements and communications.
The 2024 trial and acquittals
On July 31, 2024, a seven-judge court acquitted both defendants after finding that the prosecution had not established their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Reuters and the Committee to Protect Journalists both reported that the court considered the evidence insufficient.
The acquittals matter editorially. The brothers are not described on this page as hitmen, killers or perpetrators. They were prosecuted and then acquitted. In December 2024, Greece's Supreme Court ultimately left the acquittals in place.
Journalistic work and the unresolved investigation
A separate Athens ruling in December 2024 found that Karaivaz's journalistic work was the only plausible motive for his killing. That finding supports a connection between the murder and his profession, but it does not establish the identities of the gunmen or any mastermind.
International media-freedom organizations reported in April 2025 that no further arrests had been made after the acquittals and that two other suspects were still wanted. The Committee to Protect Journalists sought an investigation update from Greek prosecutorial, police and intelligence authorities in January 2026 and reported receiving no response.
Current status
No individual has been convicted of Karaivaz's murder. For that reason, this archive classifies the case as Unsolved / Partial. The investigation produced suspects, arrests, a trial and court findings about motive, but criminal responsibility for the killing itself remains unresolved.
The two men tried in 2024 were acquitted for insufficient evidence, and the acquittals were later upheld. Descriptions such as “professional hit” or possible organized-crime links are investigative or journalistic characterizations, not proof that any named person or group committed the murder.
Timeline
- Karaivaz is killed
The veteran crime reporter is shot outside his home in Alimos, Athens.
- Two arrests announced
Police arrest two brothers and prosecutors charge them with participation in the murder.
- Both defendants acquitted
The court finds the evidence insufficient to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- Acquittals stand; motive ruling issued
The Supreme Court leaves the acquittals in place, while another Athens ruling concludes that Karaivaz was killed because of his journalistic work.
- Press-freedom groups cite continuing impunity
A coalition reports no additional arrests and says other suspects remain wanted.
- No public resolution
CPJ seeks an update from Greek authorities and reports receiving no response.
Sources and further reading
- Committee to Protect Journalists — Giorgos Karaivaz case profile and 2026 investigation-status update
- Reuters — July 31, 2024 report on the acquittal of two defendants
- Committee to Protect Journalists — April 9, 2025 joint call for accountability
- European Centre for Press and Media Freedom — April 2025 status of the investigation and acquittals
Last reviewed: September 4, 2026