A new intervention today from the president and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court regarding the Tempi case. The president and prosecutor of the Supreme Court at the conference “Justice: Foundation of Development and Prosperity” were asked by Kathimerini director Alexis Papachelas about the case, and both gave their responses in strong tones.
**Supreme Court president on Tempi: Only the appeals court president can order exhumation**
The Supreme Court president, Anastasia Papadopoulou, emphasized regarding the hunger strike by Panos Routsis that “*the exhumation is requested within the framework of the investigation. The investigation has closed and the case file is with the Prosecutor’s Office and will then go to the appeals court president. From what I understand, their request concerns examination of bones for wood fragments etc. Similar requests from others have been rejected with reasoned decisions by the investigator and the judicial council. In fact, one is very detailed. Since they have been rejected, we cannot return to them. Exhumation can take place three years after death but not within the framework of the investigation. Only the appeals court president can order it.*”
“*I don’t know if the lawyers have informed the relatives that no right is lost. This request can be submitted at the hearing, where rejected requests and new requests can be submitted. Everyone’s concern is the start of the hearing procedure. The request of all Greeks should be the start of the evidentiary procedure and the delivery of justice. And it won’t start quickly as they say*” the Supreme Court president also noted. Mrs. Papadopoulou said she shares the pain of the relatives but strongly criticized those who, as she said, exploit this situation to the fullest. “*I have wholehearted sympathy for their pain, they lost their children, their spouses, this is truly tragic. I want to address all the others who exploit this situation to the fullest, this country has had other accidents, Mandra, Mati, when did such demonstrations never happen by those who exploit the pain of these people. They don’t want this trial to start. The investigator judged it, closed the investigation, he has the right. Who are all these people who won’t let the investigator close the investigation, are we in a democracy, in a rule of law, where do we live?*”
**Supreme Court prosecutor on Tempi: If the request were accepted, the investigation would reopen**
The Supreme Court prosecutor, Konstantinos Tzavellas, emphasized that he is not entitled to know the reasoning behind the rejection of exhumation requests. “*Lawyers are trying to impose on me the obligation to give an order, instruction to reopen the investigation and examine supplementary evidence. I too express my indignation, it’s not acceptable for lawyers to speak with a lawyer and ask for things outside the law. Regarding exhumation, he noted that it can be requested by the person (legal entity) who has supervision of the cemetery after three years have passed. The case file is at such a procedural stage that no one other than the competent appeals court president can judge it*” the Supreme Court prosecutor also emphasized. Mr. Tzavellas noted that judicial authorities cannot respond every so often to persons who are victims of a crime and also mentioned that dialogue between victims and the Supreme Court Prosecutor, the Head of the Appeals Prosecutor’s Office, etc., is misinterpretable by the defendants’ side, meaning it could establish grounds for recusal, either here or in European courts.
Both the Supreme Court president and the prosecutor of the Supreme Court also emphasized that **if the request were accepted, the investigation would reopen**.
