Another Country Shocked At Reporter’s Assassination

Michael Hedges April 12, 2021 - Follow on Twitter

In crime reporting nothing is inexplicable. There is always a motive, though the word reason seems inappropriate. People are drawn to crime stories largely for the mythology. Crime and investigative reporters choose their beat to look the beast in the eye.

The family of Giorgos Karaivaz laid him to rest Sunday. Attendance was sparse due to coronavirus restrictions. He was a respected crime reporter, most recently with Greek channel Star TV He died last Friday (April 9) in a brazen daytime murder. “I am really shocked,” said all who knew him or knew his work, said Proto Thema (April 12). “Unthinkable.” Mr. Karaivaz was described as cautious and unassuming. He leaves a wife and teenager.

What is known about the murder is chilling. He arrived by car to his home in the southern Athens suburb of Alimos about noon. When he opened the car door two persons approached on a motor scooter. Within three feet (one meter) of Mr. Karaivaz one or both opened fire with a silenced 9 mm automatic weapon. Seventeen bullets were fired, 12 hitting the victim. One of the gunmen then fired the coup de grace, “gratuitous shot to the head,” reported newsit.gr (April 9). They both fled the scene.

Police authorities very early in the investigation said the attack had been carefully planned, likely a contract hit, not a terrorist act. It is possible, they offered, that a scouting team was involved and communicated with the hitters and there may have been “rehearsals.” Mr. Karaivaz had not, it seems, received threats. City workers were pruning trees in the area and provided police with considerable information about the hit. Photos of the two assassins on the motor scooter were released Sunday.

"From the little information we have so far we see that we are dealing with a mafia execution and not with a terrorist act. Of course, nothing can be ruled out,” said Athens Journalist Association (ESIEA) chairman Panos Sombolos, quoted by Ethnos (April 9). “But I point out that we are dealing with a murder that is very well planned and very well organized. Sure, we have revenge. Now why they avenged him and in the most inhuman way no one knows. Did he write anything on his website and make revelations? Did he say anything on the show he does for Star TV? What I can tell you for sure is that sooner or later the case will be solved.”

Assassinations or attempts on Greek media workers are quite rare though radical groups have fairly regularly attacked newspaper offices and broadcast studios. Last July anti-semitic publisher Stefanos Chios survived what was called an assassination attempt. In 2010 investigative reporter Sokratis Giolias was murdered by a hit team. Police recovered 9 mm handguns linked to a previous hit on an anti-terrorism police officer.

Similarities with the recent murders of Daphne Caruana Galizia in Malta and Jan Kuciak in Slovakia are inescapable. In both cases the victims were investigative reporters and the attacks were meant to result in death. Investigations went round and round, lasting months, hitters finally arrested and tried, contractors evading. “Whoever thinks that, in this way, they can silence journalists there are another 6,099 who will investigate and demand to know what has happened,” said ESIEA spokesperson Maria Antoniadou to Deutsche Welle (April 9).

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• Hot Topics - Media in Greece

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