Hungry For Justice!

international | anti-capitalism | news report

Thursday November 20, 2003 17:58

by Padraic - Irish Supporters of the Salonika Prisoners

An attempt to provide some background info on the five people currently on hunger strike in Greece.

Who are the Salonika Seven?

In June of this year there was an EU summit held in Thessalonica Greece. This summit was mainly focused on issues of migration control and border regime. As has become common at these events the summit was met by tens of thousands of people protesting against what they saw as the unfair and even racist policies of the EU. During the protests a number of arrests were made, now five months later seven people remain incarcerated within the Greek prison system: Simon Chapman (English) 30, a graphic designer from Basildon, Essex, Fernando Perez Gorraiz (Spanish), Carlos Martin Martinez (Spanish), Solaiman "Kastro" Dakduk (Syrian, a well-known artist and leader of the immigrants union. If he is deported to Syria he faces torture and imprisonment for trade union activism and for evading military service) Spyros Tsitsas (Greek) and two Greek juveniles are continuing to be denied justice, despite overwhelming evidence that they have been framed and despite solidarity protests around the world.

Why were they arrested?

The demonstrations in Salonika saw clashes between the protesters and police. Unable to effectively control what happened during the summit the police are now looking for revenge.
Despite the lack of evidence against them and the fact that it seems to be a complete fabrication all the arrestees have been charged with making and using Molotov cocktails, causing criminal damage and attacking the police.
As Simon put it “We are being held responsible for everything that happened on that day because we were arrested on the day... Whether we actually did anything or not seems to be irrelevant.”

What were the circumstances of their arrest?

By all accounts the reasons for their arrests were opportunistic and seem to have nothing to do with what they actually did on the demonstration. People were arrested when the police could pick them off on their own. Simon’s case is a good example:
“The first gas came in and in the crowd surge I lost sight of X. Me A and B continued on to a square where the gas started raining down - so far my goggles and half-face gas mask were working fine. The crowd surged again and I lost A and B, so I headed over to the rest of my affinity group. We ended up all squashed together with maybe 600 people, with clouds of gas coming from front and back, and my skin was starting to burn, my eyes were streaming. The crowd was all crushed together, people wailing for water for their eyes, pushing this way and that.

Though I knew the safest place in that type of situation was in the middle of the crowd, I decided to go to the edge to see if I could see X, A & B. Then a huge cloud of gas enveloped me and I couldn't see a thing. So I'm at the edge choking, blind, on the edge of panic - a voice inside me is saying "be cool, be cool" and I kept it together. And then CRUNCH - everything went black and sparks of light shone in the darkness. At first I thought a badly aimed brick had hit me, but only a second later there was another bone-crunching blow to my head and I knew it was cops. I go to run but I'm already falling, scrabbling along the wall through broken glass, still blinded by gas; as I move the batons are raining down, sometimes 3 or 4 hitting simultaneously across my body. I feel boots kicking me as well. I thought I could crawl back to the crowd, but when I look up all I see is an empty smoky street and cop boots coming towards my face. BANG goes my goggles and glasses, and I realize I am in deep, deep shit. I try to get up but at that moment a hand comes down and pulls my cap and gas mask off and a final blow smacks me where my hair meets my forehead; I feel a splash of blood run down my face and everything goes black. I was only unconscious for a few seconds I think. I'm dragged to my feet, and boots and batons are still coming, mainly at my shoulders and legs. 5 cops have hold of me, dragging my rucksack off my back. They hold me and search it, then take me to the side of the road and sit me down. A cop comes up behind me and smacks me across the back with his baton, then kicks me at the base of the spine. This STILL hurts! My face is a sea of blood - I can feel it leaking from several places, running down my neck.
C and D would have seen what happens next, the cops bringing the bags of molotovs to me. I can feel a fit-up coming on! The next 2 hours are truly terrifying - I am cuffed with 2 bags of molotovs strapped to me. Some are leaking. The cops lead me into the road where rocks and molotovs are landing among us and present me to the rioters like I am a trophy. If one of these molotovs lands too close to me I would be a ball of flames faster than you could say "human rights".

After the incident, Simon was taken to hospital where he needed stitches to the head for the injuries he sustained.

Solaiman’s case is another good example. He was arrested as he handed out leaflets during the protest. The police claim that he was arrested with a bag containing: 2 slingshots, 3 screws and 1 coil of copper-wire. (One of the two Spanish arrestees is also supposed to have been in possession of the same bag!). The only evidence against Solaiman is a statement from a single police officer.

Who are the five hunger strikers?

Solaiman, Fernando, Tsitsas, Carlos and Simon are all on hunger strike.

Why are they on hunger strike?

All seven Salonika prisoners were beaten upon arrest and imprisonment. Despite the blatant violence and corruption of the Police, the demonstrator’s terror didn’t end on the streets of Thessalonica. On arrival at the holding centre, the prisoners were beaten up again: kicked, punched, hair pulled, threats of further violence. Simon also had his glasses smashed by police, leaving him virtually unable to see.
When Solaiman refused to shave his head and beard in prison he was again beaten, all the prisoners were shaved and shorn.
Originally there were thirty protesters arrested, twenty-three have now been released or deported from Greece. The case against the Salonika Seven isn’t any stronger than the case against any of those released. Nevertheless the Greek State is refusing to release these men, even on bail until their court cases because they need to be able to blame someone for the disturbances which took place.
The men are on hunger strike because of the refusal to grant bail, the conditions of arrest and imprisonment and the refusal of magistrates to take any of the evidence supporting the allegations that the prisoners were framed into consideration.

How have they been treated since? What is their physical condition like?

Despite being on hunger strike the attitude of the state has not softened and the arrestees are being treated very harshly. At one stage, due to his deteriorating condition, Carlos was brought to hospital. While in hospital he was strapped in a chair with his hands tied behind his back, he was continually kicked and beaten throughout the night by police. He had been on hunger strike for thirty-two days at the time.
The arrestees were still being denied basic rights such as access to their lawyers. When their lawyers tried to reach them in hospital they were surrounded and threatened by armed police who prevented them from entering. There were also threats that the arrestees would be separated and sent to prisons in different parts of the country. On November 9th the hunger strikers escalated their protest and refused all liquids. After two days some minor demands were met.
By the 11th Fernando was so weak that he had to be transferred to a civilian hospital, doctors feared that his condition was so bad that he could fall into a coma at any time. All five were then ‘kidnapped’ at 2.30 in the morning and brought to a hospital in Athens (500 km from where they were) without the notification or permission of their relatives, lawyers or doctors. Obviously seriously weakened, they were made to sit up for the whole journey in a cold cage in the back of a police van and weren’t even given any blankets for the cold. When they reached Athens, Fernando and Kastro were in such a bad way they were taken to a civilian hospital instead of the prison one where they were literally unable to move.
By the 15th doctors treating the hunger strikers were so concerned at their conditions that they called for nationwide protests on the 17th. The doctors released a statement out lining the medical conditions of the hunger strikers which makes for disturbing reading. (http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/11/280601.html).
All the hunger strikers have suffered weight loss, extreme loss of mobility, reduced blood pressure and a weak pulse leading to their limbs and extremities going cold. Their skin has become dry, is suffering from atrophy and a lack of elasticity. Their appearance has become anemic. Their general condition is characterized by occasional dysfunction of vision, loss of physical strength, various physical aches and dysfunctions in the coordination of movement.
Individually they all suffer different personalized problems:

1) Simon Chapman had serious clubbed-finger, which denotes respiratory deficiency and hepatic (liver) tiredness

2) Carlos Martin- Martinez had haemoptysis (spitting of blood), this follows his torture in hospital mentioned above.

3) Fernando Perrez- Goraiz had great difficulty in excretion of urine (dysuria) and blue disease of lower limbs (cyanosis).

4) Solaiman “Kastro” Dakdouk had strong signs of impairment of the synergic moves of upper and lower limbs, due to muscular resistance.

5) Spyros Tsitsas had diffused thoracic aches and swallowing difficulties.

The doctors further state that all five have now reached the point where their continued hunger strike risks doing them permanent harm. All five are also suffering from a reduced white blood cell count which means that their immune system is reduced and they are vulnerable to diseases which, in their weakened condition, could be fatal.

By the 17th Carlos and Spyros were also transferred to a public hospital (where they remain under guard). Their condition is deteriorating rapidly.

br />
Why should we try to help them?

At this stage the men on hunger strike are close to death. At the time of writing Solaiman has been on hunger strike for over 60 days. (Bobby sands died after 66 days). They cannot hold out much longer without food and in their weakened condition they could easily die from infection. Unless we act soon it will be too late.

The Greek state is doing what it is because it believes that there are no consequences. As Simon said “The Greek justice system doesn’t seem to be taking an interest in the particulars of our cases” .If we can show them that we don’t think this behavior is acceptable then we may be able to at least improve the conditions of those being held.

Many of us on Indymedia have attended the International Days Of Action protests. Any one of us could be sitting where these prisoners are today. Most of the rest of us have been on protests or actions here in Ireland. We know from events such as the Mayday RTS that the police beat and arrest people without reason or excuse. If any of us were arrested or charged we would look to each other for support and solidarity. Without this solidarity we are all vulnerable. Mutual Aid benefits all of us, we cannot refuse it to others.

What can we do?

At the very least you can contact the Greek Embassy and let them know that you won’t accept what’s going on.

Greek Embassy.
1 Upper Pembroke Street.
(01) 676 7254.

This coming Saturday we will be manning a stall at the Central Bank from 12 to 2. After that we’ll have a demonstration, which will be followed by a meeting. If you can make it along, even for a short time you can help us show that these men are not alone and not forgotten about.