Archive note: This text comes from the old archive of Nomika Epilekta and is preserved with care for historical and informative reading.

A chronicle, because its preparation began several days before it took place. Pre-announced, because the “competent” people had been informed in good time that it would take place. The visit could have been a courtesy visit, as we are used to making during these holy days. But it was not. It was not because it is neither a custom nor a formality for a defense lawyer to visit a detainee in his “home,” meaning a correctional facility and indeed a closed one.

The visit had to take place. But because we live within modern social reality, I personally undertook to communicate with the “competent” correctional employees, may God make them so, employees being the only non-negotiable and certain thing. Very politely, as my nature and character always require, I speak three days earlier with the very polite, oddly enough, employee of the “correctional facility.”

-Please inform me about the visiting hours for lawyers during the coming festive days.

-Of course, madam, and many happy returns, excellent, a positive attitude.

-You may come normally on all days, 8 to 11 or 4:30 to 6:30. In fact, by exception you may also come on Saturday, Christmas Eve, because there is a festive schedule.

Incredible. How did they think of that. We discuss it and decide that Christmas Eve is the ideal day. We will visit the “detainee” to encourage him and lift his spirits. The truth is that we like to escape stereotypes and formalities too, so we decided almost without a second thought to make a non-formal visit.

But because we have been in the field for years, as others say “in the night,” on the eve of the visit I thought that, just in case, I should make contact again. I inform my secretary. The young woman contacts them and informs me that she spoke with the competent people, who told her that the visit may take place, but only in the morning because the afternoon visiting period will not take place. Well, all right, it is not the first time the fixed schedule changes at the last moment, nor the last, but let us not be grumblers on such days. Only they informed her that she is not allowed to bring sweets and clothes.

The thought occurs to me. If they told you about clothes, I say to my secretary, they did not understand that we are talking about a lawyers’ visit. Please call again and clarify it. Another call. They inform me again. I clarified it. They assured me that they also receive lawyers, because of the holidays. Everything is fine. I was sad that I could not take sweets, but what can we do. We leave Athens at 7 in the morning. At 9 we are outside the correctional facility.

-Good morning, many happy returns. Here are our identity cards.

-Good morning, gentlemen lawyers. And many happy returns, but...

That “but” makes me flare up before I hear the continuation, which of course you can imagine: “WE ARE NOT RECEIVING LAWYERS TODAY.” Incredible.

And the negotiations begin. Superiors, inferiors and side figures are notified.

-But who told you that you could come? Who told me? I have flared up.

-My dear sir, who told me is something you will find for me and you will give me his little name. There. The very pleasant gentleman who answered this telephone at 10:35 and 20 seconds yesterday morning told us. Silence. Thought. Telephone.

-Chief guard, the gentlemen are asking for names. Names? At Christmas?

Suddenly the first iron locked gate opens wide. Go through to the chief guard. The second opens too. We find ourselves in a very “hospitable” space, where smoking “employees” show us one after another the door of the “CHIEF GUARD,” something like a local ruler, it seemed to me. The chief guard has bent down and avoids looking at us; perhaps, of course, he was simply afraid the ash from his cigarillo would fall, I must not be unfair.

-Good morning and many happy returns, because we are always polite, even when flared up.

-They sent us to you so that you can give us the name of the employee who told us that today we could make a 400-kilometer trip to see one of your “guests.” The head rises.

-But what names are you asking me for? Five employees answer that telephone.

-Then give us five names, chief guard.

-But a passerby may have answered.

-Then give us the names of the possible passersby too. While we cool down, the chief guard flares up.

-You should know that I will not leave this like that, he tells us.

-We have no doubt, dear sir. Give us the names so we can leave and let you look into it at your leisure. Silence and thought, he is certainly thinking, what has happened to me at Christmas.

-Well then, whom did we say you want to see? See him, but only for a little while.

-So be it, for a little while, for a little while. But we will go in. And we went in. And we saw him. And I am certain that we helped a person have a calmer Christmas.

Now if I tell you that what bothered me most of all was that they finally let us in, will you believe me? And do you know why? Because it was confirmed that indeed, once again, they had not done their job properly. For if they had been certain that they had done the right thing, there was no chance they would have allowed us entry under any circumstances. So be it.

Within the broader spirit of optimism that should possess us these days, let us hope that at some point everything will be different, including correctional facilities. Now, why correctional facilities are called facilities is another discussion, which we will have soon. Perhaps because they trade in human souls.