Anarchist Prisoner Nikos Kountardas on a circular hunger strike

international | miscellaneous | news report Monday March 10, 2008 19:36 by euri - Greece

a briefing and a translation of his two recent letters

Nikos Kountardas was arrested on 9/1/08 and convicted with 10 days in prison (for "mockery against a policeman"), while he was out on parole, having a warrant against him for 15 months in prison for liftin two banners (against the new sports terror-law and of solidarity to its arrestees) in OAKA olympic stadium. He is also accused -without any evidence- with an explosion against an ETE bank in Ksanthi (a small town in northeastern Greece). He has already spent nearly 18 months in a pre-trial emprisonment accused with beating Christos Polyzogopoulos, a member of PASOK (ex ruling party) and ex-president of the GSEE (sell-out main trade union), since he was "recognised" by Polyzogopoulos in a photo the police had of him as he was arrested during some riots after a soccer match, 9 years before that. Another anarchist accused under that case, Stelios Malindretos is still detained in Dafni mental hospital. Nikos was transfered to Komotini prisons where he abstained from prison food protesting his prosecution. A month later he was moved to Chios juridical prison (Dikastikes Fylakes Xiou, Xios, TK 821 00, Greece), an overpopulated prison in Chios island, where a few months ago, a long-time prisoner in struggle (P. Georgiadis), was beaten by prison guards for distributing political material. Nikos is in a circular hunger strike (one week on, one off) and is determined to go on with a strict hunger strike.

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Letter from Komotini prison

I shall abstain systematically from prison food as a protest against my vengeful detaintion (hunger strike) if these forced (by the police) accusations against me aren't dropped: the conviction of 24/12/07 based upon the new fascist sports terror-law, and I ask for my release, since it isn't rational in the year 2008 to put a man in prison for 15 months for lifting a political banner inside a stadium. While in the same time neo-nazis lift extreme-right symbols and swastikas in any national team's match, and while we have all watched the New Democracy (ruling party) invade in the soccer field beating and punching his way in. The accusation against me is styled upon my so-called "illegal" entrance in the soccer field.

I demand the immediate release of all that imprisoned and fugitives under this inhuman law, whatever team they may support or come from.

I ask to break through this guilty silence around this cruel sports law of Orfanos and turn it together into an ear-piercing howl up the ears og the (ir)responsibles that will make them suspend this terror-law mess, and throw it in the garbage can.

I demand to finish my juridical captivity since Polyzogopoulos' case (I was released 10 days before my 18 month pre-trial imprisonment period ends, so as they could impose a parole with vindictive terms) and to cease this witch-hunt of the authorities against me.

The worst are yet to come

INTENSIFY HOSTILITIES WITH THE SYSTE, UNTIL ITS VERY DESTRUCTION.

SOLIDARITY TO ALL THOSE PROSEVUTED UNDER THIS LAW

FREEDOM FOR ALL PRISONERS

Nikos Kountardas, 15/1/08