IN THE FACE OF REPRESSION, NO ONE IS LEFT ALONE

The action took place in Berlin pushed by the deterioration of his health conditions.

In that period Koufontinas asked the doctors to remove the IV providing him hydration in order to escalate his hunger strike to include water.

This could have made him the first political prisoner to die of a hunger strike in Europe since Bobby Sands (and several other members of the Irish Republican Army) in 1981.

The prosecutor’s office approved also the forced feeding which is classified as torture even according to decisions of international medical ethics conferences, the assessment of the UN and human rights organizations.

During the action 9 people were arrested, while a picket of comrades also demonstrated outside of the Greek consulate.

It was a strong action that showed the power of the strongest weapon we have against our oppressors: the International solidarity!

Koufontinas is an accused member of the Revolutionary Organization 17 November (N17).

N17 emerged in response to the killings carried out by the Junta, taking its name from the date November 17, 1973, when state forces stormed the gate of the Polytechnic University in the neighborhood of Exarchia with a tank and murdered 24 people, including three teenagers and a five-year-old child. When the group disbanded, Koufontinas voluntarily turned himself in and received a life sentence.

The Greek fascist government tryied to let Koufontinas die rather than honoring the rights that they were legally obliged to grant him. They were doing this, in part, to settle a personal score, concerning the Prime Minister's family.

We want to remind also that one of the first things that the New Democracy government did upon taking office was to release the police officer who killed Alexis Grigoropolous, expressing tacit of approval of his murder of a 15-year-old anarchist.

Dimitris Koufontinas ended his hunger strike after 65 days.

During that days the Police have repeatedly attacked demonstrations in solidarity, using extreme force.

But despite the curfew, solidarity actions continued to take place in different countries, during the campaign.

After the end of his hunger strike, Dimitris Koufontinas has continued to fight for his transfer to Korydallos prison to be closer to his family and comrades, but also to have the opportunity to receive medical treatment. In the high security prison of Domokos he is denied the necessary treatment related to proper nutrition, physical therapy, etc.

Recently, contrary to the prosecutor’s recommendation for transfer to Korydallos, it was decided before the Plenary Council in Lamia that his transfer to Domokos was correct.

This decision is not legal but political and follows the will of the regime under the ND government, which is taking its revenge on the prisoner because of the actions of 17th of November, which were also directed against the ruling family.

Not only Koufontinas is affected by the higher repression of the ND government, but also all other prisoners in Greece who face a new penal law.

Koufontinas thanked “friends and comrades” who “stood in solidarity” with him as he refused to eat, and, for a period, to drink.

He said:

The world judges those who took to the streets, but what is happening out there is much more important than the reason why it started.”

“In the face of the force of these struggles, I declare from my part, I am among you all with my heart and mind! ”

Comrades like Dimitris gave all their life for a revolutionary prospective and continue the struggle inside the prison to keep up the memory and a militant tradition.

The Greek and German state cooperate to persecute those who show solidarity by giving voice outside, to the struggles are going on inside the jails.

Do not forget that also in Berlin, the solidarity campaign was huge and loud, and was carried out with perseverance and determination.

Today as yesterday it is important to create a “ United Front ” against repression.

Cause no one has be left behind,

cause No one has to be left alone!

I.A-A.F.

International Autonomous-Antiauthoritarian Front