Greek court frees British activist after hunger strike

[pescao]

this news is so good it needs its own thread, but it follows from: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=240844 . thanks all u evilDUers for the traffic to http://www.freesimonchapman.org

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/crime/story.jsp?story=467623

Greek court frees British activist after hunger strike

By Daniel Howden in Athens

27 November 2003

Greek judges have released a British anti-globalisation activist said by doctors to be on the point of death after a 53-day hunger strike in protest at his imprisonment since the European summit in Thessaloniki in June.

Simon Chapman, 30, with four other protesters- two Spaniards, a Syrian, and a Greek - is charged with possession of explosives and weapons. He has refused all food since early October.

The release of all five of the detainees was greeted with relief by their friends and relatives, who had been keeping a vigil outside Athens' Korydallos prison. Mr Chapman's fiancée, Mylan, who withheld her surname, told The Independent: "Simon is free, it is fantastic. We are on our way to the prison now to tell him."

Lawyers for the London resident, who works as a graphic designer, have accused police of playing a "dirty game" to frame their client, and have released television footage, which they say shows the charges against him to be groundless.

...

Doctors concerned at the deteriorating condition of the five had warned on Monday that they could die within a week. Suleiman Dakduk, the Syrian, has been on hunger strike the longest, 64 days. Mr Chapman, the Spaniards and the Greek defendant, Spyros Tsitsas, started their fast on 5 October. The longest recorded hunger strike was by the Provisional IRA prisoner Bobby Sands in 1981. He died after 66 days.

...

The British MEP Lady Ludford welcomed the decision to release the five but called on the authorities to investigate allegations that police framed Mr Chapman and beat fellow suspects. "The focus must now shift to the supreme court investigation into police behaviour," she said. "If the events are borne out then charges must follow against the police."

...

His defence lawyer, George Ververis, said that Mr Chapman was due to be questioned by police tomorrow, depending on his health.Before the release order, doctors at the general hospital in the Athens suburb of Nikea had refused an order from the prosecutor Aristidis Frangiadakis to give "mandatory nourishment" to the prisoners.

[DUreader]

1. Victory! Whoo HoO!!!

Yess!!!

[sablefish]

2. Yep.. they put their life on the line

for their beliefs.. good for them.

[aneerkoinos]

3. endaxi

alla ghiati pirate toso kairo, malakes!

Why the fuck did it take so much time, you Greek wankers? Why such extreme measures were needed? Greece is not ruled by fucking Colonels anymore, not ruled by Berlusconi media fascism, but by PASOK, so why this fascist show of against political activism?

Could it be that Simitis' PASOK has joined the defeatist Third waiwers, KuKuE are bunch of nostalgic stalinist losers and Synaspismos... well why don't you Greeks all vote Synaspismos?

[sleipnir]

4. A Pipe Dream here in America

This scenario of the doctors refusing to go with the government, the dismissal of charges, the solidarity, Will never happen here, not in Miami, not in NYC next fall.

[aneerkoinos]

5. The reason

there is still some decensy left in the civil society in Greece (unlike in Italy where carabinieri get away shooting demonstrators to death) is the history of Greek Junta and the memory of those times.

Surprisingly, Sweden is not totally lost case even though blatant police violence is still unpunished; the tide has turned after horrible beginning of police lying and corporate media supporting police lies and victimizing demonstrators, thus making strong impact on the first and lowest levels of judicial branch.

[newyawker99]

6. pescao

Per DU copyright rules
please post only 4
paragraphs from the
news source.

Thank you.

NYer99
DU Moderator