APRIL 1, 1952
EXECUTIONS: Shortly after 4 a.m. on Sunday (March 30), four of the eight communists who had received death sentences, including Nikos Beloyiannis, were executed at Goudi. PRELIMINARIES: At the prison in Kallithea (…), Beloyiannis was given permission to approach the bars of another prisoner, Elli Ioannidou, and to embrace her after whispering a few words that no one else could hear. He then gave her his watch and his wallet. KATHIMERINI EDITORIAL: «The communist spies paid for their crimes with their blood. We do not wish to speak ill of the dead, but when they began their activities that culminated in their deaths, they of course would have realized the risks. However, they would not have expected to have become the object of the most barbarous and cowardly political machinations. For days before their execution, the government was using their lives as bargaining chips. The EPEK party of Nikolaos Plastiras did everything possible to stop the executions, or if they could not do so, then at least to avoid losing votes. (…)» REACTIONS: Coordination Minister G. Kartalis has resigned. Over 30 EPEK deputes headed by Loukis Akritas say they will become independent. Protest rallies were held outside the Greek embassies in Paris and Vienna.
