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Day 44: Trial recessed due to lawyers’ strike

44th Hearing, Three-Member Criminal Appeals Court, Women’s Wing, Korydallos Prison, Athens, 12 January 2016

Ι. Court access

The courtroom remains open to the public on presentation of a state ID card, which is retained by police for the duration of the session. During today’s proceedings, there were no spectators due to the declared lawyers’ strike.

ΙΙ. Presence and representation of the defendants

Present at the start of the proceedings were defendants Giorgos Roupakias, Ioannis Komianos, Giorgos Kalpitzis and Giorgos Petrakis. The rest were absent.

ΙΙΙ. Proceedings

Stating that he speaks on behalf of all the defence attorneys, Christoforos Tsagkas said they were participating in the strike called by all bar associations to protest the draft social insurance legislation. The presiding judge, Mari Lepenioti, asked the civil action lawyers about their intentions regarding the strike. Andreas Tzelis and Chrysa Papadopoulou submitted waivers from their bar association allowing them to participate in the proceedings. Tzelis said he understood the importance of the strike for the social insurance legislation, not just for lawyers but for all Greeks. Responding to a question by the presiding judge, Thanasis Kampagiannis said it wasn’t necessary for all the lawyers to submit waivers as these were granted per case and not per individual. The public prosecutor proposed adjourning until 15 January. The presiding judge said she would not appoint legal assistance to the defendants as this would expire in two days; she did say, however, that if the lawyers’ strike was extended, the court would appoint counsel for the defendants as it could not allow this trial to be delayed.

The hearing was then adjourned until 9am on Friday, 15 January 2016.

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