Athens: URGENT call for international solidarity with Panagiotis Avdikos, prison inmate conducting a hunger strike

Panagiotis Avdikos is currently confined in Aghios Pavlos ‘hospital’ of Koridallos prisons, after a long hunger strike.

He was arrested outside his home on April 18th, 2011, accused for possession of drugs. He almost immediately decided to start a hunger strike in order to protest for the police frame-up which resulted in his incarceration in the dungeons of the Greek democracy.

He’s been on a hunger strike since May 2011 (with a brief interruption in August). The negligence of the authorities that refuse his release, thus maintaining the prison system of barbarity and atrocity, is the reason why Panagiotis is now in danger of losing his life.

On Tuesday morning, November 29th, in Komotini (northern Greece) comrades from the Anarchist Hangout Utopia A.D. made an anarchist intervention/counter-information action regarding the prisoner hunger striker Panagiotis Avdikos, distributing texts in central locations of the city, but also outside the courts and at law firms. They also handed out texts to the local Bar Association. Their leaflets contained mainly the letters of the prisoner.

Here’s the latest letter from Panagiotis:

After my previous statement, I would like to inform you of the following:

On Thursday, November 3rd, 2011, the Appellate Judges Council of Athens held a meeting and decided to deny my request to be released under restrictive conditions due to the completion of 6month pretrial detention, thus ordering the continuation of my preventive imprisonment, showing complete disregard for my life.

All competent authorities showed gross, murderous negligence, as if I were nothing to them. It seems that my life is of no value to the ministry and the judicial authorities of Athens, who keep their eyes shut before the injustice and the reality. On Saturday, November 12th, 2011, at 7.30 in the morning, fellow inmates found me in a state of coma here, in my bed in Koridallos hospital for prisoners, and the doctor put me on an intravenous drip; according to the medical diagnosis, I suffered from a circulatory shock —all of my organs stopped working.

On Sunday afternoon, November 13th, 2011, although I was put on drip, my blood sugar levels remained low (30), so the doctors here ordered my transfer to the Attikon referral hospital, but I refused to go; I’d rather die than participate in the theatre of the absurd that is played at my expense, while all competent authorities, the judges and the ministry show gross negligence towards my case. I will continue the hunger strike, and if they continue to disregard me, I shall also stop receiving sugar water in order to die and give an end to this hypocrisy against me, and perhaps my death will make those responsible respect the life of simple people like us. By this time, I suffer from a cardiac edema and my feet are swollen, in particular from the knees down, and my body is also slightly swollen in general, which means that my state of health can deteriorate rapidly at any time, resulting in my death!

I thank you all for your support.

Panagiotis Avdikos

The Corinthian Inmates Solidarity Group — collectivity Antistrofi Metrisi (‘Countdown’) of Corinth — calls for a gathering in support of Panagiotis Avdikos outside Koridallos prisons on December 3rd, at 15.00.

Freedom now to Panagiotis Avdikos!
Down with the prison walls! Down with the State-murderer!
Solidarity is our weapon!