The trial over the Tempi tragedy resumed today following changes to the courtroom and the implementation of strict attendance measures, with relatives continuing to describe the venue as unsuitable. It is recalled that the trial, which began on March 23, was suspended for nine days due to the inadequacy of the courtroom, whose configuration has cost €1.6 million.
Under the new arrangement, up to 100 relatives and survivors are allowed in the main courtroom at any given time, while the rest are directed to a second room with a capacity of 130 seats, where they follow the proceedings via screens. Entry is subject to strict identity checks and separation by category of attendees, aiming to prevent overcrowding.
During today’s session, the formal registration of all lawyers began, a necessary process for the trial to proceed, which is estimated to last at least two years, according to “Kathimerini.” It is also expected that many sessions will be required before the first witness testifies, as a large number of objections are anticipated.
P. Routsi left the courthouse in an ambulance following an incident of police violence, as alleged by his lawyer, Z. Konstantopoulou.
The proceedings are unfolding in a tense atmosphere, with ongoing confrontations. Victims’ relatives are protesting the conditions, stating that they cannot properly see or hear the proceedings, and demanding to be present in the main courtroom. There were also jeers directed at the five (out of 36) defendants in attendance, along with chants such as “everyone to prison,” prompting repeated interventions by the presiding judge to maintain order.
The president of the Association of Victims’ Families, Pavlos Aslanidis, stated that the shared wish of the families is for the trial to move forward, despite serious objections regarding the conditions. He complained that relatives have been placed in the back rows, “displaced” from the center of the proceedings, and noted that there are unused spaces in the courtroom that remain closed without clear justification.
At the same time, he referred to an unprecedented police presence inside the courtroom (around 15 officers near the benches), noting that such a scene has not been observed since the trial of “17 November,” and stressing that the victims’ families are not a threat but people seeking justice.
Sources: Εfimerida ton Sintakton, Kathimerini [1], [2]
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