ANTARSYA expresses its support to hunger strikers Heracles Kostaris and Nikos Romanos, who are fighting, by this ultimate means, for the right to their lawful educational leave. They both fulfil all legal requirements for the leave; in fact, Heracles Kostaris has been taking this type of leave for two and a half years now, without breaking the terms. This entitlement was terminated arbitrarily and without reason after the escape of Christodoulos Ksiros (member of 17 Noemvri).

We condone the vengeful, politically moved denial of the Greek government in allowing prisoners rights equally. They are overtly breaking the law and using discrimination as means of selectively destroying prisoners both socially and biologically. It is a policy that is consistent to their wider politics of economic and social depletion, served by the memorandum and the resulting authoritarianism that is escalating daily.

ANTARSYA condemns the government’s callousness and indifference over the health and education of prisoners. Their sole interest is in creating ‘gamma-type’ prisons: prisons of high security, isolation and deprivation of human rights. We call on workers, unions, youth, lawyer associations, all social bodies and parties to take the side of Kostaris and Romanos.

We demand immediate resolution of the hunger strikers’ requests. The responsibility for their dangerously deteriorating health belongs exclusively to the Greek government and the head of the Ministry of Justice.

ANTARSYA UK