Greek Actor Petros Filippidis’ Trial Progresses

The news in Greek

1. δίκη  (f.)
   Διαδικασία ενώπιον δικαστηρίου για την εκδίκαση μιας υπόθεσης. ↩︎
2. ηθοποιός  (m.)
   Άτομο που ασχολείται επαγγελματικά με την υποκριτική τέχνη. ↩︎
3. αδίκημα  (n.)
   Πράξη που είναι αντίθετη προς τον νόμο. ↩︎
4. υπερασπίζομαι
   Υποστηρίζω κάποιον ή κάτι έναντι κατηγοριών. ↩︎
5. αναβολή  (f.)
   Η μετάθεση ενός γεγονότος σε μεταγενέστερο χρόνο. ↩︎
6. αποδεικτικός
   Αυτό που χρησιμοποιείται για να αποδείξει κάτι. ↩︎

Translation

Text comprehension

Question 1: Who is defending Petros Filippidis in the trial?

Question 2: When will Petros Filippidis officially respond to the charges?

Vocabulary

Greek	English
δίκη  (f.)	trial
ηθοποιός  (m.)	actor
αδίκημα  (n.)	offences
υπερασπίζομαι	defend
αναβολή  (f.)	postponement
αποδεικτικός	evidentiary

Read the full story

The trial of prominent Greek actor Petros Filippidis, charged with one count of rape and two counts of attempted rape, continues to unfold at the Mixed Jury Court of Appeal in Athens. The current proceedings have drawn significant attention, with varying perspectives emerging from the courtroom.

In a notable development, actress Vana Barba, a former colleague of Filippidis, spoke in his defence. Taking the stand, Barba expressed disbelief over the accusations levelled against Filippidis, claiming she does not believe he could have committed the crimes attributed to him, which involve severe misconduct against women. While acknowledging his past indiscretions and describing him as “immoderate” during the peak of his career, Barba emphasised the harsh competition in their industry and the envy it can generate.

Despite admitting to not having a close relationship with the accused, Barba felt compelled to defend him, citing the vulnerabilities public figures often face in their profession. She conveyed scepticism regarding the motives behind the claims, hinting at possible envy as a driving force, and highlighted her support for the MeToo movement as a woman advocate.

Pressed by the prosecutor about any prior knowledge of inappropriate behaviour from Filippidis, Barba refuted any awareness of such actions, only noting rumours of extramarital affairs without forming a personal opinion.

Meanwhile, the court entertained a request from Filippidis’ defence for a delay in the proceedings. This was in response to difficulties in retrieving evidence from a damaged cell phone that supposedly held critical messages from him. The prosecution, however, insists on no postponements, underscoring the gravity of the charges.

The court also recently rejected a motion by the defence to disqualify a judge deemed biased due to personal associations. The judge in question was challenged by Filippidis’ defence team, but after a hearing, the objection was dismissed as groundless.

As the trial progresses, Filippidis is scheduled to make his formal response to the allegations on 20th June. The situation remains tense, marked by courtroom exchanges, including an altercation involving former Actors’ Union President Spyros Bibilas, underlining the charged atmosphere surrounding the case.

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