In October 2014, anarchist Panagiotis (Panos) Michalakoglou and another comrade were sent in pretrial detention. They were arrested together on the 1st of October in Kolonaki, Athens, accused of aggravated possession of weapons and illegal possession of explosive (one hand grenade). From the outset, Michalakoglou claimed responsibility for the firearms found during the police raid in his home, and made it clear that his friend and comrade M.V. has no connection whatsoever to the case. In mid-October, Michalakoglou was taken to Nigrita prison, near Serres (where inmate Ilia Kareli was murdered by the screws), and the other comrade was transferred to Aghios Stefanos prison in Patras. Below are words from Panos Michalakoglou.
Yesterday evening, Friday the 21st of November 2014, at my demand to see the chief warden Yannis Dimou shortly before the prison’s scheduled lockdown period, I was called from the wing’s loudspeakers to go to the chief warden’s office. As soon as I entered his office, I demanded that my requests be accepted; otherwise, I made it clear that I would not go into my cell, and refuse to be locked in. This stance of mine resulted in winning my primary request, which was my transfer to another wing (from C2 to C1). As for the rest of my requests (to be provided with clothing items, books, mp3player, political texts/updates), he committed to granting them, from now on following the regular procedure.
This experience has made me realize that the enemy in prison is not only the administration, but oftentimes the prisoners themselves who bow their heads and settle for less while, several times, they try to prevent a protest from being set into motion or a mutiny from taking place at all.
What is my conclusion from all this? If you don’t claim what you are entitled to, you are definitely doomed. Same as in society, anyone who bows his/her head in prison will always be defeated.
I won’t make even a step back, until all my requests are met.
Nothing is finished; everything continues.
Panos Michalakoglou
November 22nd, 2014
C1 wing of Nigrita prison, Serres