"My ridiculous prosecution must be seen within the wider, west-wide surge of an insidious new form of fascism. In this context, I am honoured by their determination to persecute me as it grants me the privilege of calling upon people of good conscience, from around the world, to stand together, to oppose them."
"The 64-year-old, who reminisced about the experience on a podcast, was charged on Wednesday with inciting others in the illegal use of narcotics. If convicted he faces a prison term of at least six months and up to 500,000 (440,000) in fines."
"He accused Greece's prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis of cutting a deal with the far right to ensure that, unlike elsewhere in Europe, extremists did not form their own party. In prominent ministerial positions, he said, they were then able to use their authority to appeal to their electoral base by ensuring that people like myself are harassed and dragged through the courts."
Yanis Varoufakis, former Greek finance minister and economics professor, was charged with inciting illegal drug use after publicly discussing taking ecstasy at a 1989 Sydney Mardi Gras event during a podcast interview. Facing potential imprisonment of six months to five years and fines up to €500,000, Varoufakis contests the prosecution as ridiculous and politically motivated. He frames the indictment within a broader pattern of far-right authoritarianism in Western politics, accusing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of enabling neo-fascists in ministerial positions to harass political opponents. Varoufakis, whose left-wing party MeRA25 narrowly missed parliamentary entry in 2023 elections, maintains significant influence among young voters critical of mainstream politics.
#political-persecution #greek-politics #far-right-authoritarianism #drug-policy-prosecution #yanis-varoufakis
Read at www.theguardian.com
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