Feb 2, 2017
In the delusions of Kafka’s novel
Trial against Tassos Theofilou
Shocked, speechless and at the end very worried I found myself after leaving last two hearings in the trial against writer, anarchist-communist, and political prisoner Tassos Theofilou.
Theofilou is being charged with 25 years in prison for participating in a robbery and being an abettor in manslaughter committed during the same robbery of Alpha Bank in August 14, 2012 in the island of Paros. Since his arrest in 2012, Theofilou rejects all charges associated with this particular case.
The athmosphere inside the Appeal court of Athens during the last two hearings could easily be described as one in the Kafka’s novels.
Many of my Greek friends had warned me about fixed trials, especially when it comes to anarchists. The case of Theofilou is supposed to be one of these cases. “It’s a fiasco,” I was told. This was also the reason why I decided not to miss any of the hearings.
The mental state of, now a 34-year- old author, Theofilou seemed extremely stable even if he is already in his fifth year in prison. Pale but with crystal clear blue eyes, boyish-looking Theofilou was taking notes during the hearings and patiently listening to the testimonies against him. In the courtroom, always present are a few dozens of his supporters along with friends and family members.
“What are we doing here? This is a theatrical play!” expressed himself boldly during the process, one of his three defenders.
Although until now a few witnesses have been heard during the trial, there was one of them in particular who caught my attention.
During the second hearing, a peculiar man was called to testify.
While walking towards (all female) judges, I noticed he was wearing expensive dark shoes and luxurious clothes. He had a bottle of water with him and carried a deceptive, grotesque smile on his face.
He looked straight towards the podium. As I looked at this man’s face, I froze. He made me feel very uncomfortable. Creepy. And soon I realised why. He had the sight of a complete psychopath.
This man belonged to something called an anti-terrorism unit.
I still don’t understand what exactly is the role of this police unit and why I don’t see them in paralell trial against neonazi Golden Dawn, which I am following for the last year and a half closely, where real terror acts (organized attacks against civilian population) actually happened.
His testimony deserves no attention at all. He was arogant, unrespectfully direct and rude. When the audience started laughing at his answers (many of them believed he prepared his speech and is waiting to finish as soon as possible) he became nervous, his left leg started shaking and tried not to lose focus while looking the judges directly into their eyes. His arrogance slipped away as soon as he got mocked or found himself trapped and had no explanations about his acts (his work).
“Sometimes you catch something, sometimes you lose it. That’s how it goes,” was one of his memorable statements, explaining his work attitude.
This policeman, is one of the key witnesses in the trial against Theofilou. One of the men that put Theofilou behind the bars. This witness played an important role in putting charges against Theofilou based on sloppy evidences. (I wish not to discuss further as next hearing will reveal the obvious.) This was the witness that helped to put a life of a young creative man in the cage of relentless Greek prison system.
Delusion, craziness, perversive abuse of institutional power. Where am I? Why is Greek public not speaking about this? Why local media thirsty for linching Theofilou before the trial, don’t come to courtroom to witness what’s actually going on here? Who are these nervous men in black with frozen smiles deciding the destiny of one’s life? And even more, deciding the destiny of our lives?
For at the end of the day, it’s not about Theofilou. It’s about a rotten reality with an absent justice we have to live in.
The trial against author, anarchist and political prisoner Theofilou will continue tomorrow, February 3, in the Appeal court of Athens.
* Follow tomorrow’s court hearing on Twitter under hashtag #Free_TassiosThita. The trial is also covered by OmniaTV, Apatris and Hit&Run. For English here, translated by BlackCat.
