Aristotelous: "Absolutely vindicated by the conclusion - Drakou's announcement is unfortunate"

The director of the Central Prisons, Anna Aristotelous, issued a statement regarding the finding of Achilleas Emilianidis.

Announcement of the lawyers Mr. Giorgos Triantafyllidis and Pampos Ioannidis:

1. Our clients, despite the merciless war they have faced since the day of their complaint against the senior police officer Mr. Katsounotou, for acts of corruption and collusion and which unfortunately continues to this day, feel completely vindicated by the conclusion of Mr. Achillea Emilianidis according to what has come to light.

However, in order to stop all this scenario and in the context of the transparency that we all call for, we ask the Attorney General to answer the following very simple questions: Has Mr. Emilianidis reached the conclusion that Mr. Katsounotos has committed criminal offenses and/or has he recommended his criminal prosecution? Yes or No; If so in relation to which criminal offences? Corruption and abuse of power?

2. Ms. Drakou's announcement regarding the availability of Mr. Katsounotos is unfortunate to say the least. Instead of Ms. Drakou waiting for a phone call from the Attorney General, she should, like the political head of the Police, contact the Attorney General herself and ask him to be informed of the conclusion of the criminal investigator. Besides, the Attorney General is the legal advisor of the Minister for all relevant matters including, of course, availability. It is inconceivable that a senior police officer whose independent criminal investigator is recommending criminal prosecution for corruption and abuse of power should continue to remain in his post because the Minister for Justice and Public Order refuses to carry out her duties or neglects to call to be informed of the result of the finding which, as she accepts in her announcement, is directly related to the continuation or non-availability of Mr. Katsounotou.

3. Unfortunately it can be seen that, and despite their full vindication by the conclusion of Mr. Emilianidis, the system will continue to fight our clients because they dared to denounce a senior Police officer for collusion and corruption and which seem to be fully justified by the conclusion of the criminal investigator. Even in the end, we hope that wiser second thoughts will prevail and that they will let our clients continue the work they do in the Central Prisons.

4. We, as lawyers, will carefully monitor the developments, awaiting the decision of the Attorney General on the further course of the case after carefully studying, as he announced, the conclusion and the witness material collected by Mr. Emilianidis. If indeed the criminal investigator recommends the criminal prosecution of Mr. Katsounotos for corruption and abuse of power, we hope that the case will proceed to the Court, as justice requires in a state of law.

5. Finally, the lengthy announcement of Mr. Katsounotou's lawyer after the delivery of the report to the Attorney General could not remain unaddressed either. We simply point out to him the conclusion of the finding that his client appears to have committed an act of corruption and abuse of power to the detriment of our clients and we remind him of the popular saying "The thief shouts to frighten the householder".