Greek police are searching for convicted prisoner Alket Rizai after he failed to return to Domokos Prison following the expiration of his latest temporary leave on Monday, September 14.
An operation to locate and arrest Rizai is underway, while authorities are also investigating whether he was involved in a shooting outside a beach bar in Anavyssos, south of Athens, early Sunday.
Rizai had reportedly been granted 16 temporary prison leaves since 2021, returning to prison as required each time. His latest leave was granted on September 7, but he did not report back after it expired, triggering the procedures for locating him.
Police warn Rizai may be armed
Since he did not return to prison, Rizai is now considered an escapee and is being sought by the Greek police.
“The moment he did not return, he is considered an escapee, and the Greek Police now bears full responsibility for locating and arresting him so that he can be returned to the prison,” Christos Syndrevelis, vice president of the Panhellenic Federation of Police Employees, told ERTnews.
Syndrevelis said officers are taking increased self-protection measures because of Rizai’s serious criminal record.
“This is not a simple case. He may be armed and dangerous, with all that this entails for the risk involved in the operation undertaken by police officers,” he said.
Calls for prison leave rules to be reviewed
Syndrevelis said the Greek Police has no role in the process of granting prison leave to inmates, while stressing that the institution itself should be maintained.
He nevertheless called for the rules and conditions governing prison leave to be updated so that the risk posed by each inmate can be assessed in detail before leave is granted.
“There should be a way to assess whether leave should be granted, taking into account the dangerousness of the inmate,” he said.
He added that although police do not decide who receives prison leave, they are ultimately responsible for locating and arresting an escapee, potentially carrying out a highly dangerous operation.
Police investigate possible role in Anavyssos shooting
Authorities are also examining whether, and to what extent, Rizai was involved in a shooting outside a beach bar in Anavyssos in the early hours of Sunday.
According to Syndrevelis, an argument broke out over loud music. An Afghan man who is reportedly believed to have worked as security personnel at the business is being sought after opening fire.
Two people, a Greek national and a foreign national, were injured in the shooting.
The owners of the business were arrested and brought before an investigating magistrate, while the investigation into the exact circumstances of the incident and Rizai’s possible involvement remains ongoing.
