The founder of the NGO ‘Ark of the World’, Father Antonios Papadopoulos, and four associates have been found guilty of severe physical abuse of minors in their care by the appellate court in Greece.
In a significant ruling by the Three-Member Appeals Court of Misdemeanors in Greece, Father Antonios Papadopoulos, the founder of 'Ark of the World', was found guilty alongside four co-defendants for committing brutal acts of punishment and bodily harm against children sheltered in their facilities. The court found him guilty on nine out of the 19 counts against him, which is a substantial increase from his initial conviction on five counts.
The charges against Father Papadopoulos included serious offenses such as severe bodily harm to minors under his protection, incitement to dangerous bodily harm, and incitement to simple bodily harm. The court also convicted four of his colleagues—employees and officials of the NGO—who were complicit in various forms of abuse, leading to rising concerns about the safety and treatment of vulnerable children in institutional care settings.
This ruling draws attention to the systemic issues within NGOs managing child welfare, highlighting the need for rigorous oversight to prevent similar incidents in the future. The verdict serves as a critical reminder of the legal and ethical responsibilities that organizations and their leaders hold in caring for children and the consequences when they fail to meet those standards.
