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Anastasia Balezdrova

Once again the trial against the members of the terrorist organization Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei failed to start on the merits.
 
Today considerably less people than its premiere last week gathered in front of the female prison in the Athens suburb of Korydallos wishing to attend the proceedings. All attending passed through metal and explosives detectors, and presented their ID cards to the police officers who kept them without recording the names in a list like they did the last Monday.

The six defendants arrested and their three comrades who are at liberty under restrictions took their seats in the dock. Minutes later, the members of the judicial council and the prosecutor sat at the desk. The only ones missing were the lawyers of the defendants. Judge Varela asked where they were and one of the police officers answered informing her that they were at the entrance and refused to enter. However, the defenders took their seats several minutes later. One of them informed the court that their delay was symbolic and a sign of solidarity with the defendants' request for not keeping their relatives and friends’ ID cards by prison guards.

"Their request is fair. The procedure relating to the defenders was improved this week but we still insist the issue to be resolved properly and fairly so that we can proceed normally to the trial." The defender Spyros Fitrakis repeated his view that the hall in the prison in Korydallos was not suitable. "We could move to the hall in the Court of Appeal building where similar trials were held many times and then with 500 attendees," he said, comparing the hall in the prison with a shack in Guantanamo.

Immediately after him the defendant George Karaianidis took the floor and read a small text on behalf of all others. The accused of involvement in the terrorist organization Conspiracy of Fire Nuclei stated that "we will not cede our request for not keeping the ID cards of our friends and comrades." They said this was to "criminalize family and friendship relations and to make a database for the police." The statement classified the court as extraordinary, and journalists as antiterrorists’ informants. "They put our personal and our families’ lives at risk. This persistence of theirs discredits themselves," said George Karaianidis, turning to the media.

The head of the judicial council announced its decision on the request for recording the hearings. A letter from the Ministry of Justice to which judge Varela turned last week ruled that the recording can not be provided for financial reasons. She also invoked an article of the Criminal Procedure Code under which the phonogram of hearings is possible but not mandatory.

Defenders responded sharply to the decision, saying it was possible to challenge it. One of them claimed for its withdrawal.

Then the judicial council ruled on the ID cards keeping by prison guards. According to the court, the measure did not violate the principle of publicity of the case.

The lawyer Joanna Kurtovik asked for the floor and informed the court about an article containing information on the families and lives of some of the defendants published by a Sunday edition. According to her, the journalist had used quotes from the testimony of their parents in the preliminary investigation. The lawyer asked the court to determine who provided the confidential information and personal data of the defendants and to impose penalties provided by law. Joanna Kurtovik’s request was supported by all her colleagues.  

Her client Panagiotis Argirou took the floor after her and said: "If this is your decision we will leave the court, giving up the protection of defenders and of the daily ration. If the court appoints public defenders we will begin a hunger strike."

The short declaration caused a furor among the audience which began to chant slogans like "Hands off the fighters," "Passion for freedom is stronger than all the cells" and called on the defendants who went out of the room to be "proud and strong."

The judicial council withdrew to appoint public defenders for the defendants, while most of their supporters were leaving the hall.

The defenders caused a short turmoil because of a video of the first hearing uploaded in an information web portal, although this is prohibited. A relative of one of the youths drew allegations to a journalist.  

The misunderstanding was resolved quickly but some young people said minutes later that a policeman in civilian clothes shot today's hearings. They advanced on him and clashes followed. The police officers who were in the room called for support. Then, their colleagues who guarded the defendants in the adjacent room responded to their request and left the six defendants unattended. According to some sources, the accused opened the door and headed towards the prison yard where police intercepted them. The person in charge for the defendants guarding described the case as "an attempted escape."

Once the situation returned to its normal the judicial council appointed two public defenders for each defendant. The trial has been interrupted and will continue tomorrow.

Following the announcement of the decision it was heard among the people that this was a travesty and this process would never take place.