The announcement came shortly after the UN human rights agency OHCHR called on the court to acquit the defendants and drop the charges.
“Court cases like this are deeply troubling because they criminalize life-saving work and set a dangerous precedent,” said Liz Throssel, spokesperson for OHCHR.
Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the Council of Europe have also directed sharp criticism at the Greek authorities’ legal treatment of volunteers and aid workers on Lesbos. The European Parliament has called the trial, which began in November 2021, “the biggest case of criminalization of solidarity in Europe”.
The 24 aid workers of various nationalities are still accused of human trafficking, money laundering, fraud and illegal use of radio frequencies.