Athens – CCF hunger strike: Words of Evi Statiri from prison

On April 1st, Athena Tsakalou (mother of the Tsakalos brothers) stated that she refuses to walk out of prison until her daughter-in-law is also granted release. The two women, who were remanded in custody over the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire intended prison escape, are currently sharing a cell in Koridallos prison.

The next day, CCF prisoner on hunger strike Michalis Nikolopoulos was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit in extremely critical condition. The rest of the hunger striking comrades also find themselves facing life-threatening problems.

In the small hours of Friday, April 3rd, anarchists gathered at Evangelismos hospital in Athens, where Damiano Bolano and Michalis Nikolopoulos are being treated. The banner reads: “Not a step back – We break state terrorism in the streets”

On April 3rd, Evi Statiri (wife of CCF member Gerasimos Tsakalos) published an open letter asking the Conspiracy of Cells of Fire prisoners – including Angeliki Spyropoulou – to quit their hunger strike, and urging Athena Tsakalou to accept her release from prison. Below is an excerpt from Evi’s words:

“(…) From the first moment, Gerasimos and the rest of the people from the Organization Conspiracy of Cells of Fire assumed the responsibility and emphasised that neither his mother nor I had any relation to the escape they were preparing.

When we were sent to pretrial detention, and despite our objections, these people went on hunger strike demanding our release from prison. Thirty three days later, I think that the legislative provision* of the Ministry of Justice provides a solution to the just demand for my release. Knowing their critical health condition (M.Nikolopoulos is hospitalized in ICU, and there are serious health risks for all of them), I URGE them to stop the hunger strike. The moral weight of the damage they cause to themselves is unbearable to me, and the idea of death hovering over their lives overshadows my every thought. I also ask Gerasimos’ mother to accept her release, and it won’t be long until we share freedom instead of prison. (…)”

summary constantly updated

* pending legislative provision that (under certain circumstances) enables the replacement of preventive detention with house arrest in the case of co-accused spouses or first-/second-degree blood relatives

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