María Karystianou, mother of victim Martha, delivered a searing critique following the first day of the trial concerning the Tempe rail disaster — condemning the conditions inside the courtroom as inhumane and deeply disrespectful to victims, survivors, and their families.
‘Like mice, like sardines’
Karystianou described a scene of suffocating overcrowding: at least 700 people crammed into a windowless, enclosed hall with only two doors — which reportedly closed automatically once the judicial panel entered. ‘We were packed in like mice, like sardines — I’ve never been in worse conditions,’ she said. ‘Standing upright, not knowing who was beside us, some of us — including injured survivors — were forced to sit on the defendants’ benches because there was nowhere else to go.’
She emphasized that nearly all attendees were standing, with no empty space anywhere — every seat occupied, every aisle filled shoulder-to-shoulder. ‘The court told us this is how the trial must be held — under these conditions,’ she added, visibly shaken.
Criticism directed at Justice Minister
Karystianou turned her criticism toward Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis, accusing him of direct responsibility for selecting and preparing the venue — a newly constructed courtroom reportedly costing €1.6 million. ‘This “excellent” courtroom — does it even hold 200 people? Yet we’re expected to squeeze 700 inside for what’s turning into a farcical trial — one that seems designed only to tick boxes and close the case as quickly as possible,’ she stated.
She expressed deep disappointment with the presiding judges’ response, noting that despite repeated objections and visible distress among those present, proceedings continued under conditions she called incompatible with both the gravity of the case and basic respect for those in attendance.
Call for relocation of trial
With the next hearing scheduled for 1 April, Karystianou questioned what could realistically change in such a short time — reiterating that the venue remains wholly unsuitable. ‘I truly don’t understand what will be different on 1 April. This courtroom is completely inadequate for such a trial,’ she said.
She urged authorities to relocate the proceedings to a larger, properly equipped facility in either Athens or Thessaloniki — Greece’s two largest cities. ‘We need to move to a major city, to a large courtroom. Thessaloniki or Athens. It’s been a Golgotha. And yet — somehow — we were ready. Three years later. Well done, Mr. Floridis. And still, no courtroom is big enough for all of us.’
Her remarks underscore widespread frustration over institutional handling of the trial — widely seen as a pivotal moment in seeking accountability for Greece’s deadliest rail accident, which claimed 57 lives in February 2023 near the Tempe Valley in Thessaly.