Historical Walks,” hosted by Marilena Katsimi, examines the role of justice through a conversation with Kleio Papapantoleon, one of Greece’s leading trial lawyers, as part of its series exploring gender perspectives in history.
For more than two decades, Papapantoleon has been involved in some of the country’s most high-profile and consequential legal cases. Her work includes the landmark trial that marked the beginning of Greece’s #MeToo movement, the femicide of Effi Tsichlaki—which was initially ruled a suicide—the representation of the family of Zak Kostopoulos, the Ark of the World case, the hate speech trial of former Metropolitan Bishop Amvrosios, and the defense of journalists facing SLAPP lawsuits following their reporting on Greece’s wiretapping scandal.
The discussion begins with her personal and professional journey and the challenges of practicing criminal law before expanding to broader issues, including gender-based violence, Greece’s #MeToo movement, femicide, the place of women in the justice system, and the role of law in shaping society. She also reflects on the ethical and professional responsibilities of criminal defense lawyers, explaining what it means to represent someone accused of a heinous crime and whether the lawyer’s role differs when standing beside a victim rather than defending the accused.
This thought-provoking episode explores justice, human rights, and the landmark legal cases that have helped shape contemporary Greece through the perspective of a lawyer who has spent more than twenty years on the front lines of the country’s legal system.
Produced and presented by Marilena Katsimi