Contemporary Greece had the opportunity to “savor” closely at least three huge trials. We saw those responsible for the 21st of April 1967 coup sit in the dock, in a fair trial that resulted in a death sentence. No fuss was caused when their sentence was changed from death to life imprisonment. Karamanlis and Degiannis managed the impossible. A deeply political trial took place without raising issues, or even dividing public opinion.
A few months later, another trial caught everyone’s attention: the torturers of the dictatorship paid the price for their crimes.
Years later, the Koskotas scandal angered a huge section of the people. Public opinion was divided because Andreas Papandreou was in the dock. Finding him innocent calmed things down and soon enough the country returned back to normal.
All of that is in the past. Now though? Now we are witnessing facts that seem unexplainable. Young troublemakers are on trial for destroying property and they are not punished. The rumors that judges receive terrorist threats are rampant…
On the other hand, judges who are supposed to be the future guardians of Justice are overly strict –perhaps without reason?
It does not make sense to detain thieves or other crooks and set free bullies like that known troublemaker whose first job to do when he was released was to kick a photographer.
From some point onwards, the responsibility for any deplorable incidents lies with the Executive and Legislative authority.
Stavros P. Psycharis
– Originally printed in Sunday print edition
