Press Release for tomorrow's demonstration at the Dáil in support of the Thessaloniki 7

international | anti-capitalism | press release

Monday November 24, 2003 13:03

by Irish Supporters of the Thessaloniki 7

086 177 0439

PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE USE

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Monday Nov 24th – 11:00am

Killian Elliott, spokesperson for the Irish Supporters of the Thessaloniki 7, stated this morning that “starting tomorrow, Tuesday the 25th of November, we will stage a 24 hour fast outside the Greek Embassy in Dublin. This action is in solidarity with five of the seven who are currently on prolonged hunger strike.

We will assemble at the Dáil at midday, and deliver a letter to Brian Cowen TD & Dick Roche TD. We are calling on the Irish Government to demand the immediate rehabilitation and release of the prisoners, who were arrested at street demonstrations in June of this year in Thessaloniki, during the Greek EU Presidency.”

The demonstrators will then march to the Greek Embassy on Upper Pembroke Street, where they will maintain a 24 hour vigil without food.

Ireland's presidency term of the EU begins in just over a month, and the Irish group are pleading that the Irish, Greek, and European State authorities take immediate action to ensure that these people do not die.

They believe that Ireland should take the initiative now a month before the presidency begins, and demand a Europe of justice, freedom, and equality for all.

They also maintain that the prisoners have been consistently denied their civil, legal, and human rights by the Greek state. In the case of Simon Chapman, video evidence exists that proves beyond a doubt that he was framed by the Greek Police. The other prisoners allege they have been subjected to horrific ill treatment by the Police and Prison authorities. All seven have so far had 3 bail appeals rejected by the prosecutor, who has refused to look at the video and photographic evidence.

If they are not guaranteed their immediate release and rehabilitation then it is likely they will die in the prison hospitals they are currently being held in. As of this morning, the hunger strikers have gone without food for:

Suleiman Dakduk Castro: 65 days
Fernando Perez: 51 days
Carlos Martin Martinez: 51 days
Simon Chapman: 51 days
Spiros Tsitsas: 48 days

Bobby Sands, the Maze/H-Blocks hunger striker, died after 66 days. It is extremely rare for anyone to survive longer than 70 days without food.

Irish Supporters of the Thessaloniki 7

Ends

Other media coverage of the case:

The BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/3228364.stm
The UK Independent: http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=466104
The Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2003/11/21/wchap21.xml&sSheet=/global/2003/11/21/home.html
Kathemerini (English Language Greek Paper syndicated to the International Herald Tribune): http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_columns_100036_21/11/2003_36546
UK Independent Media Centre: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/10/279741.html

Background information:

Free Simon Chapman Campaign: http://www.freesimonchapman.org/ (with links to the video evidence proving he was set up by the Greek Police – filmed by a Greek TV News station)

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Comments (5 of 5)

quick update from london

by padraic

Mon Nov 24, 2003 15:22

THESSALONIKI HUNGERSTRIKE - UPDATE

Just a quick update-
As you know an application for bail on humanitarian grounds was entered by the legal team 12 days ago.
This was supposed to be an urgent application but the cheif prosecutor is dragging his feet, perhaps in the hope that the hungerstrikers will call the strike off before the decision is made. In effect he is playing a lethal game of chickin.
He is however coming under pressure. The Minister for justice has now publicly ordered him to speed up the decision and also to investigate the evidence of police misconduct. This is a result of all the press attention and protests worldwide so well done everyone!
In the meantime the condition of the hungerstrikers continues to deteriorate and time is running out.
Today the medical team was denied access to visit their patients at Koridallos prison and the legal team's inquiries are not being answered
Please ring the secratary of Koridallos prison and ask him why this is happening on 0030 2310 754 933

Benign

by Benign

Tue Nov 25, 2003 04:37

Salonika 7.....
News
The public prosecutor issued today (Nov.24) his proposal concerning the application for the release of the Salonika 7 on humanitarian grounds: it was NEGATIVE. The council's final decision is to be issued within the following days.

Have no doubts, the State is murdering our comrades.

A good decision

by Ciara K

Tue Nov 25, 2003 07:48

We can't have young people going around equipped to create havoc and injury to people and property.

It is the opinion if the Greek authorities that these people are too dangerous to be released among the general public and I'm very happy with that.

Coverage from Ireland.com

by Chekov

Tue Nov 25, 2003 17:07

Ireland.com have covered todays protest. Curiously the report came from Reuters. The IT picked up the story off the newswire and couldn't even be bothered to send a hack the couple of hundred metres down the road to cover the story themselves.

There were about 20 people on the picket outside the Dail today. Aengus O Snodaigh was the only TD who came out and joined us for a short while. A letter was delivered to Cowen and Roche, but neither could be found and it appeared that all of their minions were also unavailable at lunch.

All of the protestors were anarchist / grassroots types. It seems that all of the so-called revolutionaries and anti-capitalists are taking an attitude of 'their not ours, so we're not interested."
___________________________

Supporters of five imprisoned anti-globalisation protesters who have been on hunger strike in Greece for up to two months kept vigil today in what they say has become a death watch.

The five - two Spaniards, a Syrian, a Briton and a Greek - are refusing to eat as a protest against their imprisonment since being arrested during riots at a European Union summit in Greece in June. They are awaiting trial on charges of possession of explosives and weapons.

"Doctors last week gave us a time limit until the end of this week," Mr Charis Ladis, the lawyer for the two Spaniards, Mr Fernando Perez and Mr Carlos Martinez, said outside the guarded hospital where the two were being treated today.

"Theoretically they [all five] could die any minute, or they have a week to live."

Syrian Mr Suleiman Dakduk has been on hunger strike the longest, 63 days. Briton Mr Simon Chapman, the Spaniards and the only Greek defendant, Mr Spyros Tsitsas, started their fast in early October.

The Syrian, Briton and Greek are back in prison after receiving hospital treatment, but doctors have urged authorities to transfer them back to hospital. All five have been hospitalised several times.

Supporters of Mr Chapman claim his bag was switched during his arrest for another containing firebombs and hammers to implicate him.

A Greek newspaper last week ran pictures of Mr Chapman's arrest taken by news organisations, which the paper said showed the alleged switch of bags by police.

Do GR have any credibility at all anymore?

by anti capitalist

Wed Nov 26, 2003 23:21

Seven anti capitalists locked up without trial - and not a peep out of GR - "the" Irish anti-capitalist movement?

They were too busy jet-setting around on Ryanair flights to foreign countries talking about doing stuff in social forums with reformists - while back home the real activists were fighting battles, and WON.

Do they have any credibility? DO THEY FUCK.

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Press Release for tomorrow's demonstration at the Dáil in support of the Thessaloniki 7

Comments (5 of 5)