ATHENS – Criminal defense attorney Apostolos Lytras, released from detention while facing charges of smashing in his wife’s face, won’t be allowed to practice law for six months on a ruling of the Athens Bar Association.

The disciplinary council ordered the noted lawyer to immediately surrender his lawyer’s identification on their decision which can’t be appealed, leaving him no recourse but to turn over his license.

He had spent three months in detention for the case that shocked society and added to a growing number of domestic violence incidents that included women being stalked, harassed, beaten, and killed.

Despite the seriousness of the charges and so many cases of women facing violence, a prosecutor recommended leniency for Lytras although his wife, Sofia Polyzogopoulo – his law partner, said he punched her in the face, bloodying her.

The prosecutor said the charge should be reduced to “dangerous bodily harm,” from “serious intentional bodily harm,” after saying Lytras should be released on condition he stay away from his wife and home, have therapy and report to police.

Lytras initially was only briefly detained after the reported attack but then re-arrested after police said that he sent threatening messages to his wife after being arrested on the wife beating charge.

In June, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis introduced new proposed rules to amend current laws and further enhance protection for women, including pre-trial detention for felony incidents of domestic violence.

Even if the victim consents, no criminal mediation procedure may be used in the case of especially serious domestic violence misdemeanors and a prosecutor would have the right to deny or cancel mediation agreements.