N17 court bars TV coverage
The court hearing appeals by convicts of the November 17 terrorist group yesterday rejected a request by defendants to allow television coverage of the proceedings. As had been expected, the presiding judge refused to allow cameras into the specially built courtroom at Korydallos Prison following objections by one of the 15 defendants and by prosecutors. The court accepted the argument of prosecutor Efterpi Koutzamani, who said not broadcasting the trial would not impact its publicity, since the public was free to attend the sessions. N17’s chief hit man Dimitris Koufodinas reacted to the ruling by telling the court, «A broadcasting shutout is essentially a public shutout.» Meanwhile, defense lawyers complained about the composition of the five-judge court, indicating that the absence of a jury violated their clients’ constitutional rights.
