Nine Egyptians to go on trial in Greece over deadly Pylos shipwreck

In mid-June 2023, more than 500 people died after the fishing boat they boarded capsized.

Athens, Greece – Nine Egyptian men accused of criminal responsibility in the Pylos shipwreck that led to the deaths of more than 550 people on June 14, 2023, will go on trial in Greece on Tuesday.

The accused are alleged to be members of a criminal organisation, facilitating illegal entry into Greece and intentionally causing the shipwreck.

But they have all stated they were not smugglers or responsible for the shipwreck, claiming instead to be simply trying to reach Europe like the others on board.

Organisations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have called the trial proceedings rushed and improper.

“The Pylos 9 defendants were unjustly arrested and charged with smuggling offences based on limited and questionable evidence,” Marion Bouchetel, a member of Legal Centre Lesvos, which is defending the accused, told Al Jazeera.