In a harsh statement, Maria Karystianou’s party denounces the Athens Bar Association (DSA) for deciding to revoke, just hours before the scheduled event, the use of the Association’s hall for a discussion titled “Hope for Justice.” “Hope for Democracy” speaks of “silencing dialogue,” adding that “a clear anti-democratic discriminatory treatment with old party criteria was recorded.”
Karystianou’s party attacks DSA: “Deterrence prevailed”
In detail, Maria Karystianou’s party, “Hope for Democracy,” states: “Literally at the last minute, just hours before tonight’s event on Justice with four distinguished lawyers as speakers and coordinator and greetings from the President of the “HOPE for Democracy” Movement, Maria Karystianou, the Administration of the Athens Bar Association, after a nighttime board meeting by circulation, essentially banned an open dialogue on the Rule of Law.
The DSA board members thus pulled the rug out from under their colleagues’ feet and betrayed the trust of people who came from far away to attend the speeches, withdrawing permission for the use of the Association’s hall for the event titled “HOPE for Justice”.
Specifically, as we were informally informed and while awaiting the written explanation from DSA, following interventions by councilors affiliated with PASOK and New Democracy, as well as the agreement of “supporters of A. Tsipras,” the DSA board withdrew permission for the use of its hall by lawyers, members, officials and friends of “HOPE for Democracy,” who would speak and discuss the principles of the rule of law and judicial independence, namely purely legal issues, which DSA has its own independent obligation to defend based on Article 90 of the Code on Lawyers.
In this way, instead of defense came deterrence and silencing of dialogue. And even worse, a clear anti-democratic discriminatory treatment with old party criteria was recorded. Because despite the ban imposed today, DSA has repeatedly granted its hall in the past, and rightly so, for legal events organized by or involving parties, even with speeches by their political officials.
The behind-the-scenes war against “HOPE for Democracy” is fierce, because the political system is shaken and seems to be doing everything so that the voices that threaten it are extinguished and silenced. They will not succeed, because citizens realize what is happening and most importantly they do not forget. The “HOPE for Justice” event is postponed but not canceled, because truth cannot be tamed. The new time and place of its conduct will be announced soon.”
What Thanasis Augerinos stated
The party’s press spokesperson, Thanasis Augerinos, also spoke on the issue on Parapolitika 90.1 radio in the show “She and I” with journalists Stella Gantona and Thanasis Fouskidis.
“Our positions will be revealed in public consultation fragmentarily. Today, for example, we intended to reveal and discuss some of our positions on top justice issues, the rule of law and constitutional reform. An event was being prepared at the initiative of prominent lawyers at the Athens Bar Association which was canceled at the last minute following the initiative of union officials who, as we learn, are affiliated with PASOK and New Democracy, while in the past political officials have repeatedly appeared at the Bar Association, party events have taken place.
Suddenly two factions decide by circulation to hold a board meeting of the Bar Association to revoke the hall allocation. You see that the old system, the unionists affiliated with certain specific parties are trying to silence the lawyers who want to discuss our positions,” he characteristically emphasized.
Karystianou: The event was canceled through personal interventions from PASOK and New Democracy
Ms. Karystianou stated the following: “Today at 18:00 we had arranged an event to talk about the Rule of Law. And what better place to go than DSA? There where lawyers are, those who defend the laws, the citizens, to talk about the Rule of Law, about the Constitution. Because we are at a stage to talk about Constitutional Review and the independence of Justice. Yet, while the hall was booked and everything was arranged, subsequently through personal interventions from initially PASOK and New Democracy parties, that is, it’s a party issue, this is tragic, the event was canceled.
I want to say that speeches, conferences, exchange of views on the issue of the Rule of Law that concerns us all and hurts us all, should not only be embraced by spaces dealing with Justice, but there should be corresponding initiatives. It is very sad that for party reasons, things that benefit society are cut off. The issue was specific, it wasn’t a political event, legal experts who are not in the Movement would speak, I was simply asked to give greetings. I have done many things related to the Rule of Law, greetings from me have been requested by other bodies too, I don’t think that was the problem, the problem was clearly the Hope Movement.”
