Media Terror-Frenzy

Following his arrest on the 1st of October 2014, Antonis Stamboulos is currently being held under pretrial detention facing terrorism charges.

On October 6th, with another open letter, the comrade announced hunger and thirst strike denouncing the fact that he is now being held in the prisoner transfer centre of Athens. Furthermore, he protests the ongoing media construct fueled by antiterrorism cops against him.

The terror-frenzy scenarios leaked to the Press have no end, to make it easier for the antiterrorism unit to exterminate him. The captive comrade has been portrayed, among other things, as a leading member of the Revolutionary Struggle urban guerrilla group, as co-perpetrator of a bank robbery in Kleitoria (Achaea, Greece), as alleged successor of slain comrade Lambros Foundas, while the mouthpieces of Power have spread that the wanted anarchist Pola Roupa along with her child was supposedly seen on the steps to his apartment in Kallifrona street in Kypseli (which was deemed a “safehouse”). Meanwhile, wannabe informants and other ridiculous snitches have been all too willing to testify against him (e.g. a neighbor to his parents’ house claimed he had heard explosions from the basement of their home).

The fact that the cops took him to the prisoner transfer centre – despite the prosecutor’s request for his transfer to Koridallos prison – reveals that they are attempting to send him to another, remote prison in order to exterminate not so much him as his relatives, who will be forced to travel for hours to visit him in prison, but also in order to make the work of his defense lawyer tougher than it already is.

Antonis Stamboulos stated that he will not let the scumbags of antiterrorist police and their political bosses crush his close ones. That’s why, even before they announce where they’re planning to send him, he warned that he does not accept to be taken anywhere else other than Koridallos, close to his family and lawyer.

He thus started his hunger and thirst strike on October 6th.

1 & 2 : Slogans spray-painted on October 4th by anarchists in solidarity in Denizliou Street in the district of Vyronas, exactly where the comrade was kidnapped by cops: “Solidarity with comrade A.Stamboulos” – “The fight goes on; Antonis, hold strong”.

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Statement by anarchist Antonis Stamboulos, detained in Athens police headquarters

On October 1st, 2014, I was arrested, hooded and taken to an interrogation room of the antiterrorist unit. From 5pm until 1am, a bunch of hooded cops – and while I was handcuffed behind the back – took my DNA sample, fingerprints and (tried to take) my photographs by force, amid ironies, chokeholds, sprains and beatings, and threatened to electroshock me, thinking this would make me collaborate. At 1am, I saw unhooded cops for the first time, who told me that I am accused of terrorism. Until 5.30 in the morning, I remained in a 1×3 holding cell, always handcuffed behind my back. The next day they attempted to photograph me once again.

For my part, I abstained from food and water from the first moment, and demanded to speak with a lawyer. After 24 hours of detention, they eventually allowed me to notify a lawyer, and I managed to meet with her just for a few minutes before being brought to the prosecutor.

I share the above with fellow combatants as a small experience of struggle.

Whether or not the attitude of the State towards us is mild or harsh – this always depends on circumstances – it can never break us, so long as we are conscious of the responsibility that derives from our position as anarchists, in moments of adversity.

Hard times in the struggle are those that temper us with strong consciousness. In these circumstances, each of us upholds the ideals of the society we are fighting to build. A lot of blood has been shed in the struggle for emancipation from the classist society, and therefore only fools would expect us to bend in the face of any bullying of cops. I held a negative stance against the efforts of statist lackeys to extract my personal data for two reasons. First for the sake of my own values, as I believe every anarchist revolutionary should not give even an inch of ground to the classist enemy. And second because I was aware of the gravity of the case in which I am being implicated, so I wanted to protect my comradely and friendly environment from the crows holding me captive. While the Clouseaus were unable to find out my name, I was not at all willing to give it to them. At the time of this writing, two days after the arrest, the police have “finally” identified me.

It is clear that the officers of the antiterrorist squad and particularly their political superiors hoped to make a scoop out of my arrest, hence the leaks to the Press regarding the notebook containing “precisely-timed routes”, targets, bicycles and sausages.* They tailor their made-up story to fit their scenario; a scenario that, in the end, must always make them come out as winners.

The police and prosecutors have no business knowing what I did, who I am and why I was where I was caught; it’s really not their concern but mine. Therefore, I don’t need to offer an apologia to guardians of the bourgeois legality, but only to the revolutionary movement, the comrades and the people who choose not to live like a raya (slave).

I consider this first communication with the outside world to be necessary, since I am under no illusions that I won’t be sent to pretrial incarceration.

For now, I’m being held captive in the hands of servants of the Capital, but my heart still belongs to the camp of revolution.

The struggle continues.
Long live the revolution.
Long live Anarchy.

Antonis Stamboulos
from the PQ on 173, Alexandras Avenue
early on October 4th, 2014

* Translators’ note: While the comrade – who was arrested in the district of Vyronas, Athens – was still unidentified, the chief of police publicly claimed that one of the most striking “findings” were handwritten notes deemed code words for explosives.

“A movement that forgets its hostages is condemned to fail” Harold Tobson

As of October 1st, comrades Mario Gonzalez, Carlos Lopez ‘El Chivo’, Fernando Barcenas and Abraham Cortez, imprisoned in different prisons in Mexico City, are carrying out a hunger strike indefinitely.

Four days in to the hunger strike, we make a call for solidarity to the struggle that the comrades are carrying out, fighting the society of incarceration in its heart.

We do not seek to transform them into heroes, let alone fall into a logic of victimization. We understand that, despite their imprisonment, despite the deprivation of freedom of their bodies, their ideals and dreams for a society liberated from dominance and exploitation continues to be free.

Their struggle is ours.

Just like them we also despise mechanisms of control and dominance of this prison-society.

We refuse prison and, with it, the system to which it belongs.

For the retrieval of our lives!
Down with the prison walls!
Freedom to all!

M.Gonzalez (imprisoned in Torre Medica in Tepepan) :
Physically he is still strong for now, but there are worries for his pancreas and liver, and the comrade shows signs of fatigue, slight dizziness when he gets up, but he is in good spirits and calm. The prison doctors check on him three times a day, attempting to prove he is not on hunger strike.

A.Cortez and F.Barcenas (Imprisoned in Norte prison): Both are in the newcomers’ cells, and the prison doctors check them 3 times a day. They both lost weight and show signs of fatigue, but are determined to continue.

C.Lopez (imprisoned in Oriente prison):
He was moved from the main prison population to the newcomers’ cells. He shows signs of fatigue, mild dizziness and slight weight loss.

He is transferred to the infirmary of the prison 3 times a day. Guards and other prisoners pressure him to end the hunger strike, but the comrade remains undeterred.

The following solidarity actions have been planned for the next few days:

Solidarity gathering outside Norte prisons today Tuesday October 7th, at 2pm.

Demonstration against the prisons from Torre Medica in Tepepan towards Oriente prison, on October 12th, at noon.

ABC Hurricane uploaded the Filaki – Prison World DVD about 2007 prison riots uprising in Greece.

PDF: Prison World – Filaki zine

Documentary from Greece about the prison society, its role in social control and the ongoing rebellion against it…

The film focuses on the prison uprisings against the political repression and social war against the comrades in Greece as well as the hunger strikes against the Type-F prisons in Turkey which soon spread to engulf many of the prisons in Greece. These prisons are similar to the Type-C prisons in Greece, the FIES in Spain, the CSC in the UK and other punitive isolation torture regimes around the world.

During the afternoon R.Z. escapes again, for the last time. A detainee shouts to him, ‘How did you do it?’. R.Z answers: ‘From there at the top… you can’t find a way to escape from those walls, because there are other walls beyond… another prison. You must escape from the roof, and head towards the sun. They will never be able to build a wall between the sun and the earth’.

Our passion for freedom is stronger than all prisons!!!

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Vimeo link- https://vimeo.com/108159482

This is a DVD rip. Contact abc-hurricane [at] riseup [dot] net if you would like an original DVD copy.

Hi there,

I did a three-day hunger strike (18-20 July.) In solidarity with the Greek prisoners. Isolation is torture. I myself am in an isolation cell for 2 years and 3 months. I understand very well the situation of the Greek. prisoners. I was also in a Greek jail. I know the conditions of the Greek Prisoners.

You know the F-type prison system in Turkey. 7-year-old death fast against isolation cells in Turkey, against the F-type prisons. 122 people have died in the resistance against the F-type prisons.
I do not want a new massacre somewhere in this world. But, imperialism and fascism always want a new massacre in the world. Isolation is a capitalist policy. It is not only related to the prisons. It deprives a brain. 7 years Death Fast has shown the whole world that this is impossible. Everyone should show resistance to the isolation. Anyone can do it. It is possible!
Then yet another development. Murderer Israel has bombed Gaza. A massacre in Palestine!

19/07/14: Israel killed 260 people
20/07/14: More than 350
30,000 people are in UN schools. You wait for help. Israel kills children and women, civilians.

Muhammad Ramiz Bekir – 9 years old
Ahid Bekir – 10 years old
Zekariya Bekir – 10 years old
Ismaiz Muhammed Bekir – 11 years old

All are brothers of one family.

The children played near the sea. Israeli soldiers bombed them 2 times.
The first bomb came when the children lived. The second came just 30 seconds later, when the children already ran. Israel killed them. Israel killed many children. I protest against the murderer Israel. My heart beats for Palestine.

Why are all political prisoners in isolation cells?

The capitalist system wants us to not think about other people, so that we do not feel the pain of others.
But we (I) are people. We have a heart and a brain. We feel, think and see. Isolation cells can not prevent that.

Greetings – Gülaferit Ünsal

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Hallo,

I habe einen dreitägigen Hungerstreik (18-20 Juli) in Solidarität mit den griechischen Gefangenen gemacht. Isolation ist Folter. Ich selber bin in einer Isolationszelle seit 2 Jahren und 3 Monaten.
Ich verstehe sehr gut die Situation der griech. Gefangenen. Ich war auch in Griechischem Knast. Ich kenne die Bedingungen der Griech gefangenen.
Du kennst die F-Typ Gefängnisse in der Türkei. 7-jähriges Todesfasten gegen Isolationszellen in der Türkei, gegen die F-Typ Gefängnisse. 122 Menschen sind gestorben im Widerstand gegen die F-Typ Gefängnisse.
Ich möchte kein neues Massaker irgendwo auf dieser Welt. Aber, Imperialismus & Faschismus wollen immer neue Massaker auf der Welt. Die Isolation ist eine kapitalistische Politik. Es steht nicht nur im Zusammenhang mit den Gefängnissen. Es entzieht einem das Gehirn. 7 Jahre Todesfasten hat der ganzen Welt gezeigt, dass dies unmöglich ist. Jeder sollte Widerstand gegen die Isolation zeigen. Jeder kann es tun. Es ist möglich!
Dann noch eine andere Entwicklung. Mörder Israel hat Gaza bebommt. Ein Massaker in Palästina!
19.07.14: Israel tötete 260 Menschen
20.07.14: mehr als 350
30.000 Menschen sind in UN-Schulen. Sie warte auf Hilfe. Israel tötet Kinder und Frauen, Zivilisten.

Muhammed Ramiz Bkir – 9 Jahre alt
Ahid Bekir – 10 Jahre alt
Zekariya Bekir – 10 Jahre alt
Ismaiz Muhammed Bekir – 11 Jahre alt

Alle sind Brüder einer Familie.

Die Kinder haben in der Nähe des Meeres gespielt. Israelische Soldaten bombten 2 mal.
Die erste Bombe kam, als die Kinder lebten. Die zweite kam nur 30 Sekunden später, als die Kinder schon rannten. Israel tötete sie. Israel tötete viele Kinder. Ich protestiere gegen den Mörder Israel. Mein Herz schlägt für Palästina.

Wieso sind alle politische Gefangenen in Isolationszellen?

Das kapitalistische System möchte, dass wir nicht über andere Menschen nachdenken, dass wir die Schmerzen anderer Menschen nicht spüren.
Doch wir (ich bin) sind Menschen. Wir haben ein Herz und ein Gehirn. Wir fühlen, denken und können sehen. Isolationszellen können das nicht verhindern.

Grüße – Gülaferit Ünsal

July 9th, 2014 – Update on prisoner hunger strike in Germany and Switzerland, in solidarity with prisoners in Greece, following this announcement:

Even if the Greek parliament passed the bill on maximum security prisons on the 8th of July, the resistance against the new prison system, and in particular the type C prisons, is not over… These prisons have similarity with the F-type prisons in Turkey or with maximum security prisons in Germany. Following the mass hunger strike in Greek prisons, a statement on international solidarity hunger strike has been sent around in different prisons in Germany, but the communication between/with inmates takes a long time.

In German prisons, the participants in the solidarity hunger strike are until now Oliver Rast at Tegel prison in Berlin, Ahmet Düzgün Yüksel (extradited from Greece to Germany in May 2014), as well as Andreas Krebs.

Andreas, in his early 40s, has been in prison for over 16 years. He is a rebellious prisoner, and participated in several hunger strikes and also tried to escape two times. Thanks to his initiative, over 20 prisoners in the Aschaffenburg jail in Bavaria declared their solidarity with the upcoming strike. He has also written to inmates in two other prisons.

Comrade Thomas Meyer-Falk, imprisoned since 1996 and now in security detention in Freiburg, has written a solidarity message for the hunger strike, announced between the 18th and the 20th of July 2014.

Anarchist Marco Camenisch (in jail more than 20 years) will participate in the hunger strike as well; he is currently held in Bostadel, Switzerland.

Draft bill on new Type-C maximum security prisons will be put to a vote within a week. The Greek parliament is in summer recess; the recess section (consisting of one third of the total number of MPs) is scheduled to vote the bill on Thursday the 3rd of July 2014.

Below are the hunger strikers (per prison) who continue to participate in the nationwide mobilization against the operation of a Greek Guantanamo in Domokos prison:

Koridallos (Athens): 1,480 prisoners

Patras: 550 prisoners

Grevena: 400 prisoners

Larissa: 330 prisoners

Domokos: 300 prisoners

Chania (Crete): 280 prisoners

Nigrita (Serres): 200 prisoners

Amfissa: 200 prisoners

Corfu: 120 prisoners

Trikala: 120 prisoners

Malandrino: 120 prisoners

Avlonas: 100 juvenile prisoners

Kos: 60

Corinth: 50

Nafplion: 50 prisoners

In Alikarnassos (Crete), all inmates abstain from prison food.

Also, on June 26th, another court session at Koridallos was interrupted, because all of the CCF imprisoned members on trial are currently on hunger strike against the fascist bill of the ministry of Justice.