Panagioti Vlanti was acquitted on Tuesday, 23 June, by the Athens Single-Member Misdemeanors Court, following a defamation complaint filed against her by actor George Kimoulis. The court adopted the prosecutor’s recommendation and cleared Vlanti of the charge.
A Relief After a Long Day in Court
Speaking outside the courtroom, Vlanti said: “I feel relieved — and credit goes to the two women who took the lead. I stood up for them.” Actress Zeta Douka, who stood by Vlanti throughout the trial, added: “I relived it all and felt deeply unsettled. Those weren’t tears of emotion — they were tears of distress.”
Hours later, Vlanti appeared on the TV show Happy Day, where she kept her remarks brief: “I feel relieved — I have nothing else to say right now. I don’t want to discuss anything further, only that. I’m very happy. I was in court all day — it was a difficult day for all of us. At some point, I’ll issue an official statement.”
The Background of the Case
The case stemmed from statements Vlanti made in 2023 to the press and television regarding alleged abusive behaviour by Kimoulis toward colleagues. In her closing argument, the prosecutor noted that Vlanti expressed views she genuinely believed to be true — based on accounts shared with her by fellow actors — and therefore lacked criminal intent.
Kimoulis, in his complaint, described the accusations as a “character assassination,” citing a coordinated effort to damage his reputation through public allegations and televised appearances.
Testimony from Fellow Actor Dora Chrysikou
Actress Dora Chrysikou also testified, recounting incidents of verbal abuse she said she experienced while working with Kimoulis. She emphasized that such conduct had long gone unreported by actors — a silence she attributed to fear and professional vulnerability.
Zeta Douka, who attended the trial, is herself a central plaintiff in a separate civil case against Kimoulis, accusing him of abusive conduct toward her.