The appeal court in the 8th January 2001, where I’m on trial again for the bombing attempt against the ministry of Development -an action which I made to express solidarity with the residents of Strymonikos’ villages, who were fighting against the installation of a gold industry by the multinational TVX GOLD- became a military court with summary proceedings similar to those of the State Security Court in Turkey.

The atmosphere of this procedure that took place in the 8th of January, included the terrorizing of the comrades who testified in my defense, the violent shortening of their testimonies, the prohibition of any reference to the political motivations of the actions for which I am convicted, the violent dismissal from the courtroom of two comrades who testified, the premeditated neglect of the court to call the last comrade who was to testify, even the terrorizing of my lawyers; this procedure was completed with the pause of my «pleading», that obviously wasn’t pleasing for the judge, who has been arbitrary, with the tolerance of the rest of the court-members.

Since yesterday, January 9, I refuse to continue participating in this terror-trial, in this prearranged in outcome procedure of censorship, silence and un-politicalizing of my case. I gave to my lawyers an order to withdraw and with my «attack» to the judge I caused the interruption of the procedure.

A procedure about which the judge clearly stated that he wanted to have it finished within the first day, a procedure that the court wants to continue with me being handcuffed for as long as it lasts, a procedure that manifests the already-taken decision of the court to keep as is the exterminating sentence of 15 years prison, to which I have been convicted.

10 January 2001
Nikos Maziotis