Democratic Defense

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Democratic Defense members' trial, 1970

Democratic Defense (Greek: Δημοκρατική Άμυνα) was one of the many anti-dictatorial struggle groups that fought against the Greek military junta of 1967-1974. It evolved from the "Alexandros Papanastasiou" political research group in 1967, as a response to the regime.

In reality ,there was no leader but after the arrest, the members nominated as leader a prominent retired general, general George Iordanides, because of his past glory. The organisation responded to the brutal regime with bombings to some targets that represented the financial supporters of the junta (like ESSO-PAPPAS).

Among its most widely known members were Costas Simitis, subsequently Prime Minister of Greece, Nikos Konstantopoulos, subsequently president of the Synaspismos party, professor Sakis Karagiorgas,George Magkakis, professor of criminal law in the university of Athens George Magkakis, professor Vassilis Filias, lawyer Dimosthenis Konaris, John Starakis, a journalist,Christos Rokofyllos,subsequently minister of Foreign Affairs, Dimitrios Kotsakis, a trade union member, Athanasios Filias, a mechanical engineer Georgios Kouvelakis, subsequently minister of Justice,brothers Antonios Michalakeas (subsequently a judge of the supreme court of Greece) and Athanassios Michalakeas (subsequently a president of the court of Appeal) etc. The trial begun in March 1970 and most of the members after months of trial were condemned to heavy sentences.The trial attracted the attention of the press and it was considered as a major act of resistance against the regime of the colonels because many of the accused persons held important positions in the public life of Greece and they represented an intellectual elite with center/center right views of governance .Many people who belonged to different political camps like Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, an ex prime minister, or Georgios Rallis, a significant minister in the ERE government stood up as witnesses of defence giving the idea to the people of a solid front against the junta. This organisation achieved to shake the impression that people who belonged to the establishment were continuing to support the junta especially when it was revealed to the eyes of the public that generals, lawyers or active judges, who were amongst them, had developed a dynamic form of resistance against the military regime.With the collapse of the junta in 1974 most of the members of the group aligned with Andreas Papandreou and they were integrated in the PASOK political party,even though their views were not absolutely similar to the political beliefs of the party leader, Andreas Papandreou.