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SV Security guard and ZOOM BLACK GV trial building
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SV Guards on armoured car
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LV ZOOM IN Women being checked before entering trial building
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LV People walking into trial building
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SV PAN INT Accused men including Papadopoulos (centre, bald head)
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CU Papadopoulos PAN TO Ioannides
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SV Judges take seats
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CU ZOOM OUT TO SV Ioannides seated
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GV INT Court room
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Initials BB/2120 PK/BH/BB/2140



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Amid stringent security, the trial opened at the Korydallos Prison outside Athens on Thursday (16 October) of former President George Papadopoulos and ex-Junta strongman General Dimitrios Ioannides.

With 31 others, they face charges of being responsible for the clashes at the Athens Polytechnic School in November 1973 where at least 34 people died and more than 1,000 were injured. The charges range from abuse of power and multiple manslaughter to illegal detention and causing dangerous bodily harm.

Those accused of premeditated homicide, including Mr. Papadopoulos, face a possible death sentence. The Government has said it will commute a death sentence already passed on Mr. Papadopoulos for planning and carrying out the April 1967 Army coup which resulted in seven years of military dictatorship.

Mr. Papadopoulos pleaded not guilty at the opening of the trial which is expected to last several weeks. Mr. papadopoulos expressed his sorrow and sympathy for the victims' relatives and also denied charges of being the moral instigator for the death and injury of various people.

Sitting beside Mr. Papadopoulos was General Ioannides, the former chief of the military police, who is accused of moral complicity in multiple manslaughter and of provoking the incident.

The prosecution indictment -- read to a packed courtroom -- alleged that General Ioannides, who overthrew Mr. Papadopoulos a few days later, ordered soldiers to kill demonstrators. It also alleged that he did so to achieve success in his planned coup.

SYNOPSIS: Korydallos Prison near Athens where, amid stringent security, the trial has opened of former President George Papadopoulos and ex-Junta strong man, General Dimitrios Ioannides. With thirty-one others, they face charges of being responsible for the clashes at the Athens Polytechnic School in November 1973, when at least thirty four people died and more than one thousand were injured. Many of the mothers of victims in the clashes went to the trial opening which heard that the charges range from abuse of power and multiple manslaughter to illegal detention and causing dangerous bodily harm.

Sitting beside Mr. Papadopoulos -- on the left -- was General Ioannides, the former chief of the military police. He is accused of moral complicity in multiple manslaughter and of provoking the Polytechnic incident. The prosecution indictment alleged that General Ioannides -- who overthrew Mr. Papadopoulos a few days later, ordered troops to kill demonstrators. The indictment also alleged that he did so to achieve success in his planned coup. Mr. Papadopoulos pleaded not guilty at the opening of the trial which is expected to last several weeks. He expressed his sorrow and sympathy for the relatives of the victims and also denied being the moral instigator for the death and injury of various people.