The case dominating debate in Greece and Cyprus involves one of the country's biggest music stars, also popular in the Balkans. He suffered a cardiac arrest at an Athens medical practice. Investigators are examining two plasma-exchange machines and the timeline of events.
The investigation into the sudden death of Giorgos Mazonakis, one of the most popular Greek singers of the past three decades, is at the centre of public debate in Greece and Cyprus.
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In a significant development on Thursday evening, Greek authorities arrested the two doctors linked to the private medical practice in central Athens where Mazonakis had gone for scheduled plasmapheresis before suffering cardiac arrest.
A case file has been opened against them for the Greek criminal offence of exposure resulting in death. The case is now expected to proceed through the prosecutorial process.
The death of the 54-year-old artist remains the leading story in the news in both countries, where Mazonakis enjoyed huge popularity, while media outlets across the Balkans are also following the case.
Attention has now shifted to the circumstances that preceded his death. Giorgos Mazonakis had gone to a private medical practice in central Athens for a scheduled plasmapheresis, a specialised therapeutic procedure to remove blood plasma, before suddenly collapsing.
The authorities must now answer a series of critical questions: what exactly had been planned, whether the procedure had in fact begun, who was in charge of it, what medical assessment had preceded it, and whether the premises had the required licence, the appropriate equipment and specialised staff.
At the same time, the forensic examination is expected to determine the cause of death and help clarify whether there is any link to what happened at the practice.
Three decades on the Greek music scene
Giorgos Mazonakis was born in Nikaia, Piraeus, in 1972 and stood at the forefront of Greek music for more than 30 years.
He began singing professionally at a young age. In 1992, while performing at a night-time venue in Patras, he was spotted by the record company PolyGram and the following year released his first album.
In the years that followed, he became one of the most recognisable figures in contemporary Greek laïko music, a pop-folk Greek music style from the 50s and 60s, delivering a string of commercial hits and maintaining a constant presence on the country's nightlife and live music circuit.
Beyond Greece, Mazonakis had a strong fanbase in Cyprus and among Greek diaspora communities, with performances in Germany, Australia and the United States.
In recent years, he has also been a judge on the popular programme The Voice of Greece.
His appeal extended beyond Greek-speaking audiences, particularly in the Balkans. He had appeared in Sofia as early as 2012 and returned for a concert in 2023, while in December 2024, he performed in Tirana.
News of his death was reported immediately by media outlets in Bulgaria and Albania.
What police are examining
One of the main issues authorities are seeking to clarify is what exactly happened before the cardiac arrest and whether the scheduled treatment had begun.
According to reports in Greek media, the doctor said to have been responsible for Mazonakis's treatment testified that the plasmapheresis had not yet begun and that his condition deteriorated abruptly while preparations for the procedure were under way.
The same reports, citing her testimony, say that Mazonakis had visited the practice the previous day as well. The doctor is said to have described his condition as already compromised and to have referred to difficulties with his speech.
Authorities are therefore expected to examine which symptoms had been recorded, what tests had been carried out, what medical history had been taken and on what basis it was considered that the planned procedure could go ahead.
The doctor's husband, who is also a doctor and in whose name the medical practice is registered, is reported to have told investigators that he had not personally treated Mazonakis and that his wife had undertaken the singer's treatment.
New findings from the police investigation have raised further questions about what happened inside the practice.
On Thursday, police carried out a lengthy search of the premises and seized digital devices, files, medical products and other material. A subsequent search was also carried out at the doctors' home.
According to Greek National Television, ERTnews, paramedics told investigators that the plasmapheresis machine was operating when they arrived at the practice. An initial technical examination is also reported to have shown that, during its most recent operation, the machine had remained switched on for 45 minutes. A more detailed examination is expected to establish when exactly it had been in use.
Police are also examining a discrepancy in the timeline. The doctor is reported to have said that Mazonakis arrived at around 16:30, while the emergency services had already been called shortly beforehand. Investigators believe the singer had been at the practice for at least three hours.
Following the examination of the new evidence, the two doctors were arrested and a case file was opened against them for exposure resulting in death.
Greek health minister: 'A very arduous procedure'
A separate inspection is underway into the licensing and operating conditions of the premises.
Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis said that the facility was registered as a simple internal medicine practice and not as a clinic.
In his initial comments, he stated that, in such a practice, performing plasmapheresis is not permitted, according to him, and he ordered an immediate inspection by the Athens Medical Association.
On Thursday, he returned to the issue, describing plasmapheresis as a "very heavy" procedure which, he said, is carried out "only in a hospital setting".
The minister has stressed from the outset that the precise causes of death and whether there is any liability will have to emerge from the forensic and wider investigation.
'Specialised medical procedure'
During Thursday's inspection of the practice by police and representatives of the Athens Medical Association, two plasmapheresis machines were found. According to Greek Media, the machines had not been identified during Association inspections in 2024 and 2025, while questions remain over whether the relevant authorisation was in place
Athens Medical Association president Giorgos Patoulis had earlier said that the premises were licensed as an internal medicine practice and that the Association had no record of such equipment.
He also stressed that plasmapheresis is "a specialised medical procedure" which requires not only appropriate machinery but also specialised staff and specific standards.
The doctors' lawyer, however, has maintained that the machines had been duly declared to the Medical Association and that the practice was operating lawfully.
Greek media reports are also raising questions about the regulatory framework governing specialised medical procedures in private practices. The Central Health Council is expected to examine the issue and the conditions under which such therapeutic interventions may be carried out.
What is plasmapheresis?
Therapeutic plasmapheresis (therapeutic plasma exchange) is a procedure in which blood passes through a special device that separates and removes the plasma, while the red and white blood cells and platelets are returned to the body. The plasma that is removed is replaced by a special solution.
According to doctors Konstantinos Giannakas and Thanos Dimopoulos of the Therapeutic Clinic of the University of Athens, who spoke to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the method has specific therapeutic indications, including for certain serious haematological, neurological, and immunological diseases.
It requires an assessment of the patient's condition beforehand and continuous monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation. It is generally considered safe when carried out under the prescribed conditions, but it can cause adverse effects, ranging from a drop in blood pressure and hypocalcaemia to, more rarely, allergic reactions, bleeding or arrhythmias.