Scope of Application of Greek Criminal Law
The basis of Greek criminal law is the Greek Criminal Code (Ποινικός Κώδικας, codified by Law 4619/2019), which replaced the Criminal Code in force since 1951 with effect from 1 July 2019 and has since been amended several times. Greek criminal procedure is governed by the Code of Criminal Procedure (Κώδικας Ποινικής Δικονομίας), codified by Law 4620/2019, likewise in force since 1 July 2019.
Greek criminal law applies to all offences committed domestically, as well as – under certain conditions – to offences committed abroad.
Offences Committed Domestically
Offences committed either by Greek nationals or by foreigners within Greek territory fall within the jurisdiction of the Greek criminal courts.
Offences Committed Abroad
Beyond this, Greek criminal law also extends to offences committed abroad in the following categories of case:
- The offender is a Greek national and the offence is directed against a foreigner or a Greek national abroad: this requires that the offence is punishable under the law of the state where it was committed, and reaches a certain degree of severity under Greek law (a felony or misdemeanour).
- The offence is directed against a Greek national abroad: here too, the offence must be punishable under the law of the state where it was committed, and reach a certain degree of severity under Greek law.
- Particularly serious offences committed by a Greek or foreign offender (e.g. drug or human trafficking): for certain offences, Greece has its own interest in prosecution regardless of the law of the state where the offence was committed; prosecution already carried out abroad does not preclude renewed prosecution in Greece for the same offence.
For misdemeanours committed by a Greek national or a foreigner against a Greek national abroad, prosecution generally requires either a criminal complaint from the injured party or a request from the government of the state where the offence was committed.
The Rights of Injured Parties in Criminal Proceedings
With the entry into force of the new Code of Criminal Procedure (Law 4620/2019), the former legal institution of the civil party joinder (Greek: πολιτική αγωγή) was replaced by the institution of “participation in support of the prosecution” (παράσταση για την υποστήριξη της κατηγορίας). Injured parties – both natural and legal persons – can thereby participate in criminal proceedings, inspect the case file, take part in the trial, and lodge appeals against certain decisions.
Unlike under the former law, this participation, however, generally no longer serves to enforce a civil claim for damages or compensation for pain and suffering directly within the criminal proceedings by way of an adhesion procedure; corresponding pecuniary claims must, with narrow exceptions, be pursued before the civil courts. Legal entities must comply with certain formal requirements and submit corresponding documents in order to participate.
Note: The extent to which pecuniary claims can still be asserted in criminal proceedings in the individual case should be checked separately against current case law.
FAQ
The basis of Greek criminal law is the Greek Criminal Code (Ποινικός Κώδικας) together with several ancillary laws. Important update: the Criminal Code was completely re-codified in 2019 by Law 4619/2019 (in force since 1 July 2019) and has since been amended several times – most recently, among others, by Law 4855/2021, and, as part of the consolidated version, by Law 5271/2026. Greek criminal procedure is governed by the Κώδικας Ποινικής Δικονομίας, which was likewise recast in the course of the 2019 reform (Law 4620/2019).
Greek criminal law applies to all offences committed domestically and – under certain conditions – also to offences committed abroad.
Offences committed either by Greek nationals or by foreigners within Greek territorial sovereignty fall within the jurisdiction of the Greek criminal courts.
Greek criminal law also extends to offences committed abroad, in particular in the following cases:
- The offender is a Greek national and the offence is directed against a foreigner or a Greek national abroad; the offence must be punishable under the law of the foreign country, while it must reach a certain degree of severity under Greek law (a felony or misdemeanour).
- The offender is a Greek national and the offence is directed against a Greek national abroad; here too, the offence must be punishable under the law of the foreign country and reach a certain degree of severity under Greek law.
- The offender is a Greek or foreign national, and Greece has a particular interest in prosecution on account of the particular severity of the offence (e.g. drug or human trafficking). It is immaterial in this case whether the offence is punishable under foreign law; prosecution already carried out abroad does not preclude renewed prosecution in Greece.
Prosecution of misdemeanours committed either by a Greek national or by a foreigner against a Greek national abroad generally requires a criminal complaint by the injured party or a request from the government of the foreign country in which the offence was committed.
Under Greek law, the injured party or victim generally has the option of participating in criminal proceedings as a party, in order to assert claims against the offender. This party status is acquired upon declaring the bringing of a civil party joinder (Politiki Agogi). The civil party has its own procedural rights.
In the adhesion procedure, the injured party can also assert, within the criminal proceedings, a pecuniary claim arising from the offence that would fall within the jurisdiction of the ordinary civil courts, against the accused.
Yes. Both natural and legal persons can bring a civil party joinder. Legal entities must comply with certain formalities and submit corresponding documents in doing so.
As of June 2026. All information on these pages is provided without guarantee or liability.