Category Archives: Revolutionary Prisoners News

Thessaloniki, Greece: Responsibility claim for the placing of an incendiary device at a branch of the National Bank of Greece in 25th of March in the morning of 19/7, by Anarchists

 Thessaloniki,Responsibility claim

We take responsibility for the placing of an incendiary device at a branch of the National Bank of Greece in 25th of March in the morning of 19/7. This action took place in the context of the intensification of the multiform struggle and as an act of solidarity with the anarchist hunger striker Giannis Michailidis. The comrade, a prisoner of the State for almost 9 years, has maintained a consistent and dignified attitude towards the power mechanisms, having committed the most heinous – for the regime – crimes, such as participation in social struggles and mobilisations within the walls, bank robbery and prison escape.

Of course, these actions are unforgivable for the judiciary and political authorities, although he never asked for any forgiveness from them. He did not make any declaration of repentance or compromise his values, instead he put up his body as a barricade and decided to fight and claim his freedom.

Continue reading Thessaloniki, Greece: Responsibility claim for the placing of an incendiary device at a branch of the National Bank of Greece in 25th of March in the morning of 19/7, by Anarchists

From the event “Words in remembrance by political prisoners” on June 9th. Text of comrade Giannis Michailidis read on the event(Athens,Greece)

THE HIDDEN STRENGTH OF AN INSURRECTION IS THAT IT AROUSES THE IMAGINATION

It was late evening of December 5th, 2008 and I was reading the comic book ‘V for Vendetta’, when a phrase shook me: “Noise is relative to the silence preceding it. The more absolute the hush, the more shocking the thunderclap.” The economic crisis hadn’t yet unsettled the dominant narrative of capitalism as a one-way road, and a spontaneous insurrection in a country of the west world seemed like a utopia. I stood on this phrase, which I felt very believable, but there weren’t any facts to support it and I wondered a lot inside me..

A day later, a bullet struck the heart of feisty comrade Alexandros Grigoropoulos. The bullet came from the weapon of a cop, for whom Vyronas Polydoras, as minister of Public Order, had warned that had a sensitive nervous system and shoots. The same night, rage kicked off. At first, it was the anarchist/antiauthoritarian milieu, and the next day it expanded to school kids, students, immigrants and the excluded. Public buildings were occupied, from universities to city halls and the Opera house, in a background of hours-long clashes with the police, extensive destructions and looting of banks and department stores. Not only a message was sent to the impudent repressive mechanisms of the state, but now the vision of an anarchist insurrection was gaining ground. An inconceivable diversity of actions, opinions, persons, affinity groups, organizations, etc. composed the uprising of December.

The dynamic of the anarchist idea in the greek territory, brought back the forgotten project of a generalized insurrection, because, contrary to centralized structures and logics, it gave each person space to take initiatives and express oneself, precisely because there wasn’t any limitation of free expression.

In the aftermath, the insurrection had left its direct organizational heritage with a clear reflection on all kinds of actions, something that at the end, inevitably, led to upgraded state repression. It also left ineffaceable to us the ecstatic experience of generalized direct clash with the state and the authoritarian structures in all levels.

But this insurrection wasn’t defeated by repression. The insurrection faded gradually and didn’t achieve a leap forward to a direct application of our ideas in praxis, because the events had already outstripped the imagination of the people that participated. The insurrection faded because of the inherent weaknesses of our proposals. With the inability to continuously coordinate our actions as the most obvious reason for the fade-out, most criticism was pointed at the lack of central organization or ideology. The transformation of the milieu to a movement with a single structure, ideology and hierarchization of priorities was suggested.
Continue reading From the event “Words in remembrance by political prisoners” on June 9th. Text of comrade Giannis Michailidis read on the event(Athens,Greece)

Greece: GIANNIS MICHAILIDIS : NOTICE OF SUSPENSION – NOT TERMINATION – OF THE HUNGER STRIKE

I find myself in the unfortunate position to announce that I am suspending this difficult struggle without having won anything substantial. However, this struggle is not over yet nor do I intend to leave it unfinished. The suspension is temporary; some of the reasons are the obvious ones. Some are not. I apologise to those who have supported me that I cannot share the reasons publicly at this point. Should I need to continue I will explain publicly and in detail the reasons I chose the temporary suspension. I will continue to fight for what I deserve and hopefully will not need to continue.

The justice system has been humiliated. So far, the only success of this hunger strike is that it has highlighted its contradictions. In terms of the barricades I have attempted to raise, there have been the statements of the lawyers, changing the mood of the “throw them inside and throw away the keys” logic. But my personal request remains in the air. And my commitment that I wouldn’t stop seems betrayed at this point. This weighs on me, of course, and despite knowing that my intention is – if necessary – to continue at a more fruitful time in the near future; but as I said before, not everything can be said at this moment and I hope it will not have to be said. Closing this announcement, I want to wholeheartedly thank those who have supported me in any way. Those who took a stand, those who transcended their social roles because empathy prevailed. But above all, those who fought tooth and nail to break the enforced silence, those who were beaten in the streets to express their solidarity, those who took risks and those who starved in prison. To the latter I owe my life. If all this had not happened, at this moment the conditions for this suspension wouldn’t exist. That’s all for now. I still look forward to my immediate release.

Everything continues…

Yiannis Michailidis

—-

gr:

ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ ΑΝΑΣΤΟΛΗΣ -ΟΧΙ ΤΕΡΜΑΤΙΣΜΟΥ- ΑΠΕΡΓΙΑΣ ΠΕΙΝΑΣ

Βρίσκομαι στην δυσάρεστη θέση να ανακοινώσω ότι διακόπτω αυτόν τον δύσκολο αγώνα, χωρίς να έχω κερδίσει κάτι ουσιαστικό. Ωστόσο δεν ολοκληρώθηκε αυτός ο αγώνας και δεν σκοπεύω να τον αφήσω ανολοκλήρωτο. Η διακοπή είναι προσωρινή.Κάποιοι απ’ τους λόγους είναι οι προφανείς. Κάποιοι δεν είναι. Ζητώ συγγνώμη από όσους με στήριξαν που δεν μπορώ να μοιραστώ τους λόγους δημόσια αυτή τη στιγμή. Σε περίπτωση που χρειαστεί θα επανέλθω, θα εξηγήσω αναλυτικά δημοσίως τους λόγους που επέλεξα την προσωρινή διακοπή.Θα συνεχίσω να διεκδικώ αυτό που δικαιούμαι και ευελπιστώ να μη χρειαστεί να επανέλθω.

Το σύστημα δικαιοσύνης έχει εξευτελιστεί. Μοναδική επιτυχία της απεργίας πείνας μέχρι στιγμής ότι ανέδειξε τις αντιφάσεις του. Όσον αφορά το ανάχωμα που επιχείρησα να βάλω, υπήρξαν οι τοποθετήσεις των νομικών, που μεταβάλλουν το κλίμα που έπαιζε, της λογικής «πέτα τους μέσα και πέτα τα κλειδιά». Το προσωπικό μου αίτημα όμως παραμένει στον αέρα. Και η δέσμευσή μου ότι δεν θα σταματούσα, αυτή τη στιγμή φαντάζει προδομένη. Αυτό με βαραίνει φυσικά, και ας γνωρίζω ότι η πρόθεσή μου είναι -αν χρειαστεί- να συνεχίσω σε πιο γόνιμο χρόνο στο άμεσο μέλλον.Αλλά όπως είπα και πριν, αυτή τη στιγμή δεν μπορούν να ειπωθούν όλα και ελπίζω να μην χρειαστεί να ειπωθούν.Κλείνοντας αυτή την ανακοίνωση, θέλω να ευχαριστήσω από καρδιάς όσους με στήριξαν με οποιοδήποτε τρόπο. Όσους πήραν θέση, όσους τοποθετήθηκαν, όσους υπερέβησαν τους κοινωνικούς τους ρόλους επειδή κυριάρχησε η ενσυναίσθηση. Αλλά κυρίως όσους πάλεψαν με νύχια και με δόντια να σπάσουν την επιβεβλημένη σιωπή, όσους ξυλοκοπήθηκαν στους δρόμους για να εκφράσουν την αλληλεγγύη τους, όσους ρίσκαραν και όσους πείνασαν στις φυλακές. Στους τελευταίους οφείλω τη ζωή μου. Αν δεν είχαν συμβεί όλα αυτά, αυτή τη στιγμή δεν θα υπήρχαν οι προϋποθέσεις να αναστείλω.Αυτά προς το παρόν. Εξακολουθώ να προσβλέπω στην άμεση απελευθέρωσή μου.Όλα συνεχίζονται…

Γιάννης Μιχαηλίδης

source

ps: ΓΙΑΝΝΗ ΓΕΡΑ ΩΣ ΤΗ ΛΕΥΤΕΡΙΑ

Greece: 28/7/22, Medical announcement for the hunger striker Giannis Michailidis

28/7, The condition of Giannis Michailidis in the last 24 hours and according to the recent medical examinations, has deteriorated rapidly. His hypoglycaemia is now very severe with blood sugar levels around 50. At any moment he may fall into a hypoglycaemic coma, which of course (since he is isolated outside the clinic in the special detention area) may not be noticed in time and may not be able to be brought back up in time.

Giannis
now – although he has a strong feeling of thirst – cannot drink a sufficient amount of water as even two sips cause gastroesophageal reflux. This results in severe dehydration, severe stress on the kidneys and severe pains in urination. The risk of renal failure is high and is exacerbated by metabolic disorders and severe ketoacidosis.

As a doctor, I address the Last Warm Request to the competent Judicial Council of the Court of Appeal of Lamia, towards an immediate and positive outcome of the case of Mr. Michailidis. Any further delay and negative decision will lead a young man to a certain, torturous and quick death.

The personal physician of Giannis Michailidis, Pantelia Vergopoulou

Director of EKAB – ESY, General Practitioner, Intensivist, Anesthetist

source

Greece, URGENT : en/fr/, Negative decision of the Lamia council for the release of 67-day hunger striker Giannis Michailidis

Urgent : Negative decision of the Lamia council for the release of 67-day hunger striker Giannis Michailidis

The killers of the Lamia council appeal courts have issued a negative decision on the release of 67-day hunger striker anarchist comrade Giannis Michailidis. Their hands are stained with the blood of the poor, the oppressed, the fighters, and Giannis Michailidis… who demanding his freedom continues to fight from a hospital cell…

—–

‘’I think they are even using the hunger strike as an example now. They’ve set my appeal hearing for 25/7/. On that day I will have done 64 days’ hunger strike. The aim is clear. To exhaust me. A possible permanent disability reinforces the message they are sending. Perhaps my eventual death, which becomes more likely with each passing day. Such a perversion of the concept of justice is unthinkable. Let them enjoy their “justice”. Enjoy your careers.

As for me, who do not have access to their villas with their lavish tables paid for with bribes, I can greet this world fasting, but with the spiritual fullness of total existential conflict with their rotten system.’’

15/7/2022,

On hunger strike from 23/5, Giannis Michailidis

———————

FIRE TO THE PRISONS

DEATH TO THE STATE

Anarchists from Act for freedom now.

FR:

sansnom

Lamia (Grèce) : la cour d’appel refuse de relâcher Giannis Michailidis

Les assassins de la Cour d’appel de Lamia [qui devait statuer le 25 juillet] ont rendu une décision négative concernant la remise en liberté du compagnon anarchiste Giannis Michailidis, en grève de la faim depuis 67 jours. Leurs mains sont tâchés du sang des pauvres, des opprimés, des combattants, et de Giannis…, qui demande sa remise en liberté et continue de se battre depuis une cellule d’hôpital.

« Je pense qu’ils utilisent désormais ma grève de la faim comme un exemple. Ils ont fixé ma date d’appel pour le 25 juillet. Ce jour-là, j’en serais à mon 64e jour de grève de la faim. Leur objectif est clair. Celui de m’épuiser. Une possible invalidité permanente renforcerait le message qu’ils envoient. Peut-être même ma mort, qui devient toujours plus probable au fil des jours qui passent. Une telle perversion de la signification de la justice est impensable. Laissez-les profiter de leur « justice ». Je vous souhaite une bonne carrière.
Quant à moi, qui n’ai pas accès à leurs villas avec leurs tables somptueuses payées en pot-de-vin, je quitterai peut-être ce monde affamé, mais avec la plénitude spirituelle d’un conflit existentiel total avec leur système pourri. »
Giannis Michailidis, 15 juillet 2022
(en grève de la faim depuis le 23 mai)

Ndlr :
* un résumé de sa situation judiciaire et la lettre de Giannis d’entrée en grève de la faim du 23 mai 2022 se trouve ici,
* une lettre de Giannis du 11 juillet 2022, écrite depuis la cellule spéciale de l’hôpital de Lamia se trouve là
* on peut trouver ici (en anglais) une chronologie des nombreuses actions solidaires avec Giannis en Grèce et ailleurs

[Traduit de l’anglais de Act for Freedom now, 28 juillet 2022]

DE:

Negative Entscheidung des Gerichts von Lamia bezueglich der Freilassung des seit 67 Tagen hungerstreikenden Giannis Michailidis

Heute hat das Gericht von Lamia in letzter Instanz ueber die Freilassung des Anarchistischen Hungerstreikenden Giannis Michailidis entschieden. Giannis wird nicht, auch nicht unter Auflagen, freikommen. Mit dieser Entscheidung haben sie das Todesurteil von Giannis unterschrieben. Sein Gesundheitszustand ist nach 67 Tagen im Hungerstreik extrem kritisch und er koennte jeden Moment sterben. Zudem hat das Ministerium fuer Buergerschutz vor einigen Tagen erlassen, dass die Polizei in diversen Stadteilen des Zentrums von Athen, Anlasslose Kontrollen, Video und Tonaufzeichnungen durchfuehren koennen. Eine Begruendung fuer diesen Erlass ist im offiziellen Schreiben nicht gegeben. Dieses Regelung soll vorerst bis zum 2. Oktober (!) andauern. Damit wird inoffiziell ein Ausnahmezustand verhaengt und der Bullenstaat taktisch eingefuehrt. Es ist ein weiteres Beispiel fuer den totalitaeren Authoritarismus des griechischen Staates und der regierung der Nea Dimokratia.
Gestern haben Anarchist*innen das Buero der ADEDY (Oberster Verband der Vereinigungen der öffentlichen Angestellten) im Zentrum von Athen besetzt. Dort finden aktuell Versammlungen und Kundgebungen statt.

Text von Indymedia Athen: https://athens.indymedia.org/post/1620166/

Negative Entscheidung des Gerichts von Lamia bezueglich der Freilassung des seit 67 Tagen hungerstreikenden Giannis Michailidis
Die Mörder des Gerichts von Lamia haben den Antrag auf Freilassung des seit 67 Tagen hungerstreikenden Giannis Michailidis abgelehnt: „Ihre Hände sind mit dem Blut der Armen, der Unterdrückten, der Kämpfer, Giannis Michailidis, beschmiert”.
In Kürze wird es ein ausführlicheres Update geben.
In der Zeit in der wir leben versuchen wir mit so viel wuerde wie moeglich gegen die ausbeutungen und pluenderungen die um uns herum geschehen, zu kaempfen. Gleichzeitig leben wir im Schatten von Staatsterror und kapitalistischer Ausbeutung.
Wir kämpfen gegen einen Staat, der Wildtiere ausrottet, Wälder verbrennt, Minen und Windparks in den Bergen errichtet. Wir kämpfen gegen einen Staat, der Meere, Seen, Quellen und sogar unseren lebensnotwendigen Sauerstoff verpestet. Wir kämpfen gegen einen Staat, der mordende polizisten, Faschisten deckt; Der reiche und beruehmte Persoenlichkeiten die Erwachsene und Minderjährige vergewaltigen, die zufällig ihrem Einfluss zum Opfer fallen, freilaesst.
Derselbe Staat, der arme, unbeugsame und politische Gefangene mit radikalen Positionen gegen das System in Haft hält. Derselbe Staat, der den Anarchisten und Hungerstreikenden Giannis Michailidis, der sich seit 67 Tagen im Hungerstreik befindet und seine Freiheit fordert, langsam und qualvoll vernichtet; derselbe Staat, den Giannis in Freiheit bekaempft hat und heute aus der Krankenhauszelle aus bekämpft.

ALLE ZUR KRISENSITZUNG IM BESETZTEN ΑΔΕΔΥ, HEUTE 28/7 UM 13:00
ALLE ZUR DEMONSTRATION GEGEN DIE WALDBRAENDE IN SYNTAGMA UM 19:00 UHR

„Ich glaube, sie benutzen jetzt auch den Hungerstreik als Beispiel und haben meine Berufungsanhörung für den 25.7. angesetzt. An diesem Tag werde ich 64 Tage des Hungerstreiks zählen. Der Zweck ist klar. Um mich zu erschöpfen. Die Wahrscheinlichkeit dass ich bleibende Schaeden davon tragen werde verstaerkt die Botschaft die Sie damit aussenden. Mein bevorstehender Tod wird mit jedem Tag wahrscheinlicher. Eine groessere Pervertierung des Begriffs der Gerechtigkeit ist undenkbar. Sollen sie doch ihre „Gerechtigkeit“ schaffen. Was mich betrifft, der ich keinen Zugang zu ihren Villen mit ihren dekadenten, mit Schmiergeldern bezahlten und gefuellten Tischen habe, kann ich diese Welt fastend begrüßen, aber mit der geistigen Vollkommenheit eines totalen und existenziellen Kampfes gegen ihr verrottetes System.“
15/7/2022, Giannis Michailidis, seit dem 23.05. im Hungerstreik

Solidaritaetsversammlung mit dem anarchistischen Hungerstreikenden Giannis Michailidis

Kontakt und E-Mail: mihallil@riseup.net

via: kontrapolis

URGENT: Critical health condition of 65-day hunger striker Giannis Michailidis (Greece)

On Monday 25 July, after 64 days of hunger strike, the court of appeal in Lamia held a hearing for his release. Although there was a commitment on the part of the council to issue the decision in time, we understand that the timeframe for respecting the hunger striker has passed. Indeed, they have been elapsed since the Amfissa council delayed a month in issuing its decision. Any further delay on the part of the Lamia council constitutes further torture and an attempt to eliminate our comrade.

As for his health, comrade Giannis Michailidis estimates that he will not be able to drink any water until Thursday, as his body is so badly damaged that he suffers constant palpitations, which make swallowing water impossible. He has now lost 20.6 pounds, more than 28% of his original body weight. In general he states that he has no strength, moves very little and has severe pain in his spleen, left kidney and chest. He is also forced to sleep sitting up due to constant stomach upsets. His blood sugar has dropped to 71 and his blood pressure is 8 and 6. He is very dizzy and cannot concentrate.
Continue reading URGENT: Critical health condition of 65-day hunger striker Giannis Michailidis (Greece)

South London,UK : ‘Life means intervention, decision, struggle, not to be a battery for the machine to work.’

This morning 25.7.22,some anarchists interrupted a commuter train on the Docklands Light Railway, connecting the (rapidly transforming) ghettoised districts of Newham and Lewisham to London’s financial centre.

Words from the heart were sprayed on the exterior of the train, especially the name of Giannis Michailidis. A banner carrying a quotation from his public letter from 2013 (‘Tracking my journey in the world of insurrection resistance and solidarity’) was hung from the rail bridge over the central junction of Deptford.

The following text was distributed by throwing hundreds of flyers into the train carrige and off the railway bridge:

Freedom is not an array of consumer choices and ‘experiences’. It consists in the living choice to take your life into your own hands in the struggle.
We can see what happens when, for years, each project of power is left to expand its tentacles over us.
– Neighbourhoods are wrecked to construct vacuum-sealed palaces for the pleasure and profit of the beneficiaries.
Continue reading South London,UK : ‘Life means intervention, decision, struggle, not to be a battery for the machine to work.’

Sweden: Attack against the Greek consulate in Malmö – solidarity with hunger striker Giannis Michailidis

Following the call to an international campaign for freedom of Giannis MichailidIs, we join the solidarity movement with our hunger striking comrade.

Michailidis is an anarchist, a bankrobber, a fugitive, a political prisoner, a hunger striker. A hunger striker whose life is in danger because the greek state decided to apply a state of exceptional imprisonment for him, that is, the practice of preventive custody. This is not a greek peculiarity. As the Berlin based Assembly in solidarity with Giannis MichailidIs notes “the last years Europe sees a practice of consolidating a classical police state, where people are getting judged on the base of their estimated potential to be dangerous to the state and its order”.

https://www.anarchistfederation.net/fight-class-justice-for-giannis-michailidis-and-all-prisoners-who-fulfill-the-conditions-of-release-berlin/

Michailidis remains in prison despite the fact that he has already been incarcerated for more than 8 years and has served 3/5 of his time, because “he is considered a “danger” and not because he is accused of a crime. He served his sentence but is kept as a hostage in preventive custody without accusation and without any hope to be released”.

Continue reading Sweden: Attack against the Greek consulate in Malmö – solidarity with hunger striker Giannis Michailidis

Italy: Banner in Greek embassy in Rome on 22/7/2022 – 59th day of hunger strike of the political prisoner Giannis Michailidis.

“THE ONLY STRUGGLE THAT WAS LOST IS THE ONE THAT WAS NEVER GIVEN”

“The struggle for the freedom of one, the struggle for the freedom of all.”

To stand in solidarity and support to the fight for freedom that Giannis Michailidis has embraced against a putrid system is to support the yell of one for many, for all those who are subjected to state oppression and its vengeance, against preventive imprisonment.

Despite having served the necessary terms for his release, preventive imprisonment is still decreed for him, in a totally arbitrary way, because he is not ‘sufficiently correct’ since he has not surrendered, he is insubordinate to their mechanism of maintaining and reproducingpower, he has taken up arms and turned them against the banks and thebase of the capitalist system. His struggle is an active struggle within the conflict, using his life as a weapon against the vindictive attack of the state. They want to drive him to physical extermination, killing him slowly and torturing him.
Continue reading Italy: Banner in Greek embassy in Rome on 22/7/2022 – 59th day of hunger strike of the political prisoner Giannis Michailidis.