Albanian Man Artur Bashimi Executed in Athens Contract Killing Ordered from Prison

Greek authorities have arrested a 27-year-old man in connection with the murder of Artur Bashimi, a 47-year-old Albanian citizen who was gunned down in Athens on August 18.

 The place of the murder and a picture of Artur Bashimi on the right

According to reports from Greek media, the suspect—described as a drug user—confessed to carrying out the killing in exchange for a payment of €15,000. However, he claimed he had no knowledge of who ordered the hit or the true motive behind it, stating only that the assassination order came from inside a prison.

The shooting occurred at around 9:25 p.m. in the Agios Panteleimonas district of Athens, at the intersection of Michael Voda and Rodou streets. The assailant, riding a motorcycle, approached Bashimi and opened fire, fatally striking him before fleeing the scene.

Crime scene investigators recovered a bullet casing and a cartridge, while forensic analysis confirmed that the victim suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the chest.

The case is being treated as a contract killing, with Greek police now focusing on identifying who ordered the assassination and whether the crime is linked to organized networks operating both inside and outside prison walls.

The murder of Bashimi has raised renewed concerns about contract killings in Athens, which in recent years have been tied to both local and international criminal groups.