The political “thermometer” shot up in still pandemic-gripped Greece over the weekend due to a weeks-long hunger strike by a notorious urban terrorist, who’s demanding that he be returned to a penitentiary in the greater Athens area.
Dimitris Koufodinas, who is serving a handful of life sentences for 11 homicide convictions as the convicted arch-assassin of the once elusive “November 17” terror band, has been on a hunger strike for more than 50 days, and is now refusing liquids. He and his supporters claim that a recently passed law – which disqualified him from serving time in prison farm – mandates that he be returned to the correctional facility from where transferred to the prison farm, namely, the maximum security Korydallos prison southwest of central Athens.
The government has alternately maintained that no such legal obligation now exists, given that Korydallos has been designated as a pre-trial detention facility, with inmates steadily being transferred to other prisons.
The controversy reached the top political echelon on Saturday, with main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, the former premier, calling on the government to change its stance regarding the inmate’s demand.
“The life of Dimitris Koufodinas, convicted on terrorism charges, according to the physicians, is hanging by a thread. I am calling, even at this last minute, on the government to change its stance, so it (thread) is not cut. Human life in a state with the rule of law is paramount; even when dealing with those convicted because they did not respect it (others’ human life).”
In a curt reply, the Greek prime minister’s office said Tsipras should not call for a violation of the law.
“With respect to the rule of law and humanitarian values, every convict is provided with every possible medical care. However, preferential treatment and violations of the law should not be requested, especially by the leader of the main opposition,” a statement read.
The matter “fired up” Greek social media over the weekend, and dominated much of the news coverage. Street protects have taken place in support of Koufodinas’ demand, while, more ominously, groups of self-styled anarchists have carried out acts of vandalism in a handful of cities, especially in the greater Athens area.
Koufodinas remained hospitalized in the south-central Greek city of Lamia. He was transferred to a maximum security prison in the nearby town of Domokos.
