Appellate review

An 18-year-old man who killed his 16-year-old brother in the Athens district of Nea Smyrni on Wednesday by stabbing him with a pair of scissors has been remanded in custody after testifying before an investigation magistrate.

According to reports, his testimony lasted about two hours.

His mother, grandmother and partner are also understood to have testified in his defense.

The court reviewed a report on expert analysis of communications as one of the key evidences of the prosecution.

According to the prosecution and the Curuvija family lawyers, although the defendants testified that they were in another location when the murder took place, this report confirms that the accused Miroslav Kurak and Ratko Romic were at the scene of the crime.

Some 27 High Criminal Court Head Judges in Istanbul issued a formal complaint against the newly established Intermediate Courts of Appeal (BAM) in 2016, arguing that the courts “may compromise judicial credibility,” Doğan News Agency has reported.

An appeals court in Thessaloniki on Wednesday rejected a request by the city?s former mayor, Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, who is serving a prison term for embezzlement, to be released from jail until the Supreme Court hears his appeal against his sentence.

Turkey’s top court has dismissed two separate appeals from the main opposition party concerning the contested local election result in the capital Ankara, citing lack of jurisdiction.

The trial of more than 60 people, including 16 Golden Dawn MPs, accused of being part of a criminal organization is due to begin by early November, sources have told Kathimerini.

A court of first instance in Athens has ruled illegal a strike by the civil servants’ union ADEDY over the evaluation process in the public sector.

The government has launched an appeal against the action, and future strikes for the same reason, last week.

However, the court decided that its verdict would not apply until an appeal by the union has been heard.

Ivanović to remain in jail for two more months

KOSOVSKA MITROVICA -- Civic Initiative SDP leader Oliver Ivanović will remain in prison for another two months, it has been reported on Friday.

His lawyer Nebojša Vlajić said that the decision to extend the detention was made by EULEX pre-trial judge of the Municipal Court in Kosovska Mitrovica.

The procedure for the election of a Chair of the Sofia Appellate Court collapsed after the sole candidate, Veselin Pengezov, failed to summon enough votes.

The Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) did not back the nomination of Pengezov for a second term in office.

Pengezov is being investigated for abuse of EU funds under the "Administrative Capacity" operational program.

Bulgaria's Supreme Judicial Council (VSS) has postponed the election of a Chair of the Sofia Appellate Court (VAS) for June 26.

The reason for the postponement is a sick note submitted by Veselin Pengezov, the sole candidate for the post, according to the BGNES news agency.