Witness insults court in N17 trial, is ejected
The presiding judge in the November 17 case had a defense witness ejected yesterday after the latter accused the courts of terrorism and insulted the judge. Costas Palaistidis, head of the union of book and paper workers, appearing as a defense witness for Yiannis Serifis, claimed that work-related accidents, floods and court decisions ruling strikes illegal constituted terrorism. «How can you insult your country’s judicial system? You are outrageous,» judge Michalis Margaritis declared. «We’re not the same,» Palaistidis rejoined. «I get 700 euros for carting boxes and you get 5,000 euros for handing out prison terms.» Margaritis ordered his ejection, saying, «You insult the court.» Suna Giorgu, mother of Turkish diplomat Cetin Giorgu who was killed by N17 in 1991, sent a letter saying said she could not attend as she could not bear to see «the bloodthirsty killer.» She urged the court to dispense justice.
