Greece: Anarchist comrade Vaggelis Koutsibelas sentenced to 15 years in prison

The trial against anarchist Vaggelis Koutsibelas started on March 6th, 2013 in the Larissa mixed criminal court. The comrade has been remanded for almost a year, accused of a string of arson attacks that took place in the city of Trikala during March and April 2012.

In the first day of trial, the defense lawyer refuted the previous statements made by the snitch Giorgos Zafiris, who came to testify in court. The snitch admitted that the police had forced him to sign a forged testimony, because he was arrested on drug charges, and the cops told him this was the way to get away with it. The court threatened to request his detention on perjury charges, something that never happened.

The next day, March 7th, Vaggelis explained to the court there’s solid evidence that he was in fact elsewhere (in the vicinity of the prefecture) during the time of one of the arsons, and he was nowhere near the scene of the attack, but the judges responded that obviously he was at the prefecture building trying to place another incendiary device! Vaggelis spoke of the political significance of these arson attacks (regardless of who carried them out), referring to the prevailing political system as well as the rise of the Nazi party of Golden Dawn.

Also, Vaggelis asked to be granted transfer to another prison, because as he said at the end of his statement, ‘The Trikala facility is a drug-prison; I can’t stand it anymore.’

The Larissa court delivered an exterminating ruling on the case without acknowledging any mitigating factors. The bench sentenced Vaggelis to 15 years imprisonment, with the right to appeal, and imposed a fine of 300 euros. The prosecutor initially requested a total of 27 years in prison, but after an interruption of the proceeding, the sentence was ‘reduced’ to 15 years.

From their part, his friends that factually support the comrade all this time sent him strength hoping that he will walk out of prison soon, and cried out: The passion for freedom is stronger than all prisons!

Recently, in January 2013, the ‘Synergy of anarchist Organizations Wild Freedom and Instigators of Social Explosions’ dedicated their successful bombing at The Mall shopping centre in Maroussi, Athens, to Vaggelis Koutsibelas among other anarchist comrades, either on the run or incarcerated. May the acts of solidarity spread and warm the hearts of all hostages of social war!

Current prison address:
Evangelos Koutsibelas
Krinitsa, Trikala – Mpalkoura Trikalon 42100
4th wing, Trikala prison, Greece