Text of the anarchists political prisoners Pola Roupa and Nikos Maziotis in Greece
We are two imprisoned political prisoners, members of the armed anarchist organization Revolutionary Struggle, which operated between 2003 and 2017. During that time, we took responsibility for 18 actions and attacks against various targets related to the political and economic regime, the state, and capital. The Revolutionary Struggle claimed responsibility for bombings and armed attacks targeting the Ministries of Finance and Labour, the Athens Stock Exchange, the Bank of Greece, the International Monetary Fund office, banks, police stations, as well as the suppression of riots and demonstrations by the riot police (MAT). Additionally, the organization took credit for an attempted attack on the Minister of Public Order and an attack on the US Embassy in Athens using an anti-tank rocket. In 2016, our comrade Pola Roupa attempted a helicopter hijacking to facilitate the escape of comrade Maziotis and other prisoners, with the aim of continuing the actions of the Revolutionary Struggle.
During our action, we tragically lost a comrade named LambrosFoudas. He was killed on March 10, 2010, during a clash with the police while engaging in the organization’s preparatory action. This 
incident occurred during a time when the Revolutionary Struggle had initiated actions against the global financial crisis and the enforcement of loan agreements in Greece.
Since our initial arrests in 2010, we have consistently taken political responsibility for our involvement in the Revolutionary Struggle. Throughout the numerous trials we have faced, we have publicly defended our actions as well as those of our organization. We have staunchly supported the policy of armed revolutionary action against both the state and capital. Additionally, we have advocated for the Social Revolution, aiming to overthrow the current economic-political system of power and establish an egalitarian society free from class distinctions. Our vision entails a confederation of communities (communes) as the foundation for this transformative and classless social organization.
During the course of our actions, we have received awards on two occasions. The first award came in 2007 when the US State Department offered a reward of 1,000,000 dollars for information leading to the capture of Revolutionary Struggle members. Additionally, the Greek state provided a reward of 800,000 euros immediately after the organization’s attack on the US embassy in Athens using an anti-tank rocket. The second award was bestowed upon both of us personally in 2014 by the Greek state where the two of us were awarded personally with 1,000,000 euros each. It’s important to note that this proclamation occurred while we were in a state of “illegality,” which we experienced after our release in 2011. This release came after our 18-month pre-trial detention had expired, as the Greek Constitution prohibits keeping individuals in pre-trial detention for more than 18 months without trial.
The proclamation was issued in response to the bombing that took place in 2014, orchestrated by the Revolutionary Struggle. The attack involved a car bomb containing 75 kilograms of explosives, targeting the building of the Supervisory Directorate of the Bank of Greece in Athens, which also housed the IMF office. The motive behind this action was to express opposition to the loan agreements that the Greek state had entered into since 2010, following pressure from supranational institutions such as the European Central Bank, European Commission, and International Monetary Fund (commonly referred to as the troika). Following our arrest, we initially received a life imprisonment sentence for our involvement in this operation. However, the appeals court subsequently overturned this sentence. After enduring a grueling legal process consisting of eight lengthy trials (including four trials of the first degree and four appeals court hearings), we have been handed down multiple sentences totaling many tens of years. These sentences have been consolidated and extended to a cumulative term of 20 years.
In addition to our convictions, we also faced an appalling form of state repression when the Greek government targeted our own child in their war against us. When we were first arrested in 2010, the comrade Pola Roupa was six months pregnant, and our son was born a few months later while we were in prison. In 2012, we went into hiding before the conclusion of the first trial against the Revolutionary Struggle (2011-2013), where we were sentenced in absentia to 50 years.Our son remained with us throughout these years until my partner was arrested in January 2017 (the comrade Nikos Maziotis had already been arrested in July 2014). Instead of handing over our son to our relatives, the police, acting on the prosecutor’s orders, transferred him to a closed psychiatric ward under police guard. Initially, they did not allow any visitors for several days. The purpose of the Greek state’s actions was to exert maximum pressure on us and disrupt the parental relationship we had with our son. They stripped us of our parental rights from the moment my partner Pola Roupa was arrested, citing our actions and convictions.This unprecedented incident caused significant outrage in society. After several days of hunger and thirst strikes on our part and the mobilization of our comrades and partners, the Greek state eventually returned our son to our relatives. However, through a court decision, custody was subsequently taken away from us.
We have already spent more than 10 years in prison, with one of us nearing 8 years. According to the right to apply for parole after serving 3/5 of the sentence, we should be eligible for release after 12 years, taking into account additional calculation of work time completed in prison. Comrade Maziotis has already surpassed this limit, along with one year of work done, yet the suspension board has rejected the granting of suspension and parole on at least two occasions, and has disregarded his third request.In addition to our 20-year sentences, we have also been burdened with exorbitant fines. Recently, the state’s “bills” have become a pressing issue, encompassing court costs from eight separate trials, as well as fines and court costs from military courts regarding comrade Nikos Maziotis. These military court expenses stem from his total refusal to perform military service when he was called up at the age of 18. The cumulative amount of these debts has reached 70,000 euros.
Comrades, we have devoted our lives to the battle against the state and capital, fighting for the cause of revolution. We have willingly and knowingly paid, and continue to pay, a significant price for the path we have chosen. This is a burden we anticipated from the very beginning, and we accept it without hesitation.
The challenges stemming from long-term imprisonment, as in our case, extend beyond our own personal experiences. They profoundly affect our family environment, particularly when there are young children and elderly individuals involved. These difficulties have been and continue to be of utmost importance to us. This is especially true in the current circumstances, as one of our relatives is grappling with severe health issues. Specifically, it is our partner Rupa’s mother and our son’s grandmother who has assumed custody of our child. Despite her advanced age and fragile health condition, she, along with Rupa’s sister, who also shares custody, have ensured that our son did not end up in an institution. Thanks to their dedicated care, he is growing up in a stable and secure environment.
At this critical juncture, what is of utmost importance to us is the provision of financial assistance that can contribute to the treatment of our relative’s serious health issues and provide support to our family. This support is what we prioritize and consider crucial during these challenging times.
Pola Roupa, 3rd wing of Thebes women’s prison (Greece)
Nikos Maziotis, 4th wing of Domoko prison
The political prisoners of Revolutionary Struggle
