5 Irish people to refuse food in solidarity action with the Thessaloniki hunger strikers

international | anti-capitalism | news report

Saturday November 22, 2003 23:10

by Indymedia Kevin - IMC Éire

24 hour fast planned for next Tuesday at midday

Banner reads "RESIST STATE BRUTALITY: FREE THE HUNGER STRIKERS"

Five Irish people have decided to go without food for 24 hours starting on Tuesday November 25th at 12pm midday, and finishing on Wednesday November 26th. They are doing this as a solidarity action with the 5 of the "Thessaloniki 7" who are currently nearing death as a result of their continued refusal of food. They will be outside the Greek Embassy on Upper Pembroke Street (just off Leeson Street) during their fast.

The demonstrators will be gathering outside the Dáil on Tuesday Nov 25th at midday to hand in a letter to Brian Cowen, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and Dick Roche, who is a Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs. All are welcome to join in this demonstration at midday, which will then proceed to the Greek Embassy.

A small group of demonstrators gathered today outside the Central Bank on Dame Street to hand out information about the current situation regarding the "Thessaloniki 7". Over a thousand leaflets were handed out to passers by, urging them to contact the Greek Embassy in Dublin to register their disgust with the current situation, and to put pressure on the Greek and Irish Governments to free the hunger strikers immediately.

Meanwhile the occupation of the Athens University continues in protest at the hunger strikers' treatment - their latest press release acknowledges all solidarity demonstrations around the world including those in Ireland. You can read a report here: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/11/281712.html

The story of Simon Chapman, the British national who is now in his 47th day of hunger strike, has finally been picked up by the UK mainstream media. The BBC: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/essex/3228364.stm the Daily Telegraph: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/global/main.jhtml?xml=/global/2003/11/21/wchap21.xml&sSheet=/global/2003/11/21/home.html and the Independent http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=466104 have all carried stories about his obvious set up by the Greek Police (video evidence has been available for some time). Unfortunately, any pressure on the UK Government to seek justice that could result from these reports may be too late.

The English language paper in Greece Kathimerini, which is syndicated with the International Herald Tribune, has also come out strongly against the Greek legal system in an editorial, stating that "individual liberties and civic rights are not a detail or secondary provisions that can be ignored at the State’s will."

Simon and Soleiman Dadkuk "Castro" were moved to a General Hospital earlier today (Saturday) and here is a report released by their legal team on UK IMC: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/11/281695.html

Yesterday (Friday) a group of people went to the Greek Embassy in London and demanded an audience with the Greek Ambassador: http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2003/11/281612.html

For more background information on what is happening with the hunger strikers, please read Padraic's excellent piece here: http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62306

Other stuff on the Indymedia Ireland newswire:

Report on the demo (with pictures) at the Greek Embassy in Dublin: http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62188
Another report on the demo: http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62174
Call out for the demo: http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62155
Hunger Strikers refused water when denied access to lawyers: http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=62112