Tag Archives: Kostas Gournas

Greece: Statement signed by all the prisoners in the E1 wing of Domokos type C prison

Prisoner Giorgos Sofianidis began a hunger strike on Friday 27/2 demanding his transfer to Koridallos prison (where he was incarcerated until News Year’s Eve) so that he is able to attend his studies in the same region where educational institutions to which he has already been admitted are available (besides, one of those schools operates inside Koridallos prison). Below is a statement by all the prisoners in the E1 wing of Domokos maximum security prison.

We, all the prisoners currently held in the E1 special wing in the prison within the prison, the type C prison of Domokos, declare that as of today February 27th 2015 we are going to abstain from prison meals and refuse to enter the cells at noon.

We stand by our fellow prisoner, hunger striker Giorgos Sofianidis, and ask that he be moved back to Koridallos prison, otherwise he risks losing any possibility to study at the TEI (Technological Education Institute) of Piraeus and the IEK (Institute of Professional Training) of Koridallos prison.

We demand that the special conditions of detention as well as the barbaric and inhumane type C prison be abolished.

Our mobilisations will continue until the type C prisons are permanently abolished.

Kostas Gournas
Nikos Maziotis
Dimitris Koufontinas
Giorgos Sofianidis
Yannis Naxakis
Alexandros Meletis
Konstantinos Meletis
Vasileios Varelas
Mohamed-Said Elchibah
Alexandros Makadasidis

Quelle: http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/2015/02/27/greece-statement-signed-by-all-the-prisoners-in-the-e1-wing-of-domokos-type-c-prison/

Letter by Kostas Gournas, imprisoned member of Revolutionary Struggle, from inside Domokos Type C Prison (Greece)

January 9th, 2015

The coalition government New Democracy-PASOK [right and left political parties] did not only flirt with the extreme neo-liberalism imposed by the Troika [IMF-ECB-EC], it was the biggest supporter and helped in the shaping of the memorandum policies. It not only flirted with the far-right agenda of the Golden Dawn [fascists political gang], it was itself the political and institutional expression of the deeply far-right state that promotes the transformation of society into a fascist one.

C’ type prisons
and the legal framework that defines a regime of exclusion for the prisoners is part of the memorandum policies that have messed up the lives of thousands of proletarians. A living prison inside the prison that aims for the political isolation and de-politicization of the political prisoners and their actions, vengeful treatment of the disobedient and is a means of dissuasion for all prisoners.

During its swan song, the government has transferred social and political prisoners to the new C’ type wing in Domokos. Just a few days before the premature elections that were sped up when the government lost the trust of the Troika, the opening of the special wing in Domokos marks the re-ascertainment of the “law and order” dogma with the establishment of its crown. A few days after the partial regression in the Romanos case, the government raises the stakes by imposing its injured power.

The confrontation with the regime of exclusion in the C’type prisons is not simply a confrontation between the prisoners, the solidarity movement and society against the government that is going or the one that will come after the elections. It is a battle we all ought to spread/fight with the deep state in its core and against its indispensable identification with the neo-conservative “antiterrorist” dogmas of imperialism. It is a battle that concerns all of society which is hurting today by the brutal policies of Capital, a battle against the transformation of society into a fascist one.

Against the terrorism of State and Capital
Ahead comrades, for the structuring of the social revolution

4/1/2015
Kostas Gournas
C’type prisons of Domokos

Translated by Act for freedom now!
Slightly edited for clarity by 325

Greece: More transfers of prisoners to the maximum-security prison in Domokos

Anarchist Nikos Maziotis, member of Revolutionary Struggle, has been incarcerated for four days in the 5th wing of the new type C prison in Domokos.

On January 2nd, 2015, two more prisoners convicted as members of armed revolutionary organizations, anarchist Kostas Gournas (Revolutionary Struggle) and Dimitris Koufontinas (17 November), were transferred from the dungeon cells of Koridallos women’s prison to the maximum-security facility of Domokos. On the same morning, anarchist prisoners Yannis Naxakis and Grigoris Sarafoudis, both convicted for armed robbery in Pyrgetos-Larissa as well as for—alleged—participation in an armed revolutionary organization (Conspiracy of Cells of Fire), were also taken from the men’s prison in Koridallos to the type C prison in Domokos. Sarafoudis was moved to Domokos even though, for the present, he is co-accused in Filotas-Florina armed robbery case alongside other comrades, whose trial will continue in the special court of Koridallos prison this January.

Meanwhile, since New Year’s Eve until today, several other prisoners have been transferred to the maximum-security prison in Domokos.

Quelle: http://en.contrainfo.espiv.net/2015/01/02/greece-more-transfers-of-prisoners-to-the-maximum-security-prison-in-domokos/

Angriff gegen griechisches Konsulat in Zürich (8.9)

Als verspäteter Beitrag zu den internationalen Solidaritätstagen mit anarchistischen Gefangenen haben wir das griechische Konsulat in Zürich am 8. September mit Farbe angegriffen. Die offizielle staatliche Präsenz Griechenlands in Zürich wurde aus zwei Gründen ausgewählt. Erstens weil in Griechenland kürzlich Nikos Maziotis, Militanter des revolutionären Kampf, nach einer Hetzjagd durch Athen und an der Schulter angeschossen verhaftet wurde. Die Verhaftung folgt nach einer staatlichen und medialen Hetze, bei der Nikos und Pola Roupa zu den meistgesuchten Verbrechern erklärt wurden und ein riesiges Kopfgeld ausgesetzt wurde. Auch nach der Verhaftung bricht die entpolitisierende Hetze gegen Nikos nicht ab. 
Zweitens weil in Griechenland kürzlich eine Reform der Knäste durchgesetzt wurde, die in absehbarer Zeit die Situation aller kämpfenden Gefangenen in Griechenland massiv verschlechtern wird. Die Reform ist eine Angleichung der griechischen Knäste an die Isolationsknäste des restlichen Europas. Aktuell wird der Domokos Knast (der fernab von allem liegt) von den bisherigen Gefangenen entleert, damit er zu einem Typ C Gefängnis (mit den schärfsten Haftbedingungen) umgebaut werden kann. Man kann annehmen, dass die Umsetzung der Reform also unmittelbar bevorsteht. 
Aus diesen Gründen wählten wir das griechische Konsulat für unseren Angriff. Wir solidarisieren uns mit allen politischen Gefangenen. Die Aktion soll auch ein Beitrag dazu sein, den Gefangenen eine Öffentlichkeit zu schaffen. Ob Marco Camenisch (Schweiz), Oliver Rast (Deutschland), Nikos Maziotis und Kostas Gournas (Griechenland), Georges-Ibrahim Abdallah (Frankreich), Vincenzo Sisi (Italien) oder all die anderen, die die Aufzählung sprengen würden – die Gefangenen beteiligen sich rege an den Debatten über den revolutionären Prozess. Nehmen wir Impulse auf, entwickeln wir weiter, führen wir den Kampf fort. 

We attacked the Greek consulate in Zürich on September 8 as a delayed contribution to the international days of solidarity for anarchist prisoners. The official representation of the Greek state in Zürich was chosen for two reasons. First of all because Nikos Maziotis (militant of the Revolutionary Struggle) was recently arrested in Greece after a manhunt through Athens and after having being shot in the shoulder. This arrest follows a campaign by the state and the media in which Nikos and Pola Roupa have been declared as top fugitives and a huge bounty has been declared for their arrests. Despite him being arrested the media campaign aiming to negate his political identity continues. 
Secondly because recently in Greece a reform of the prisons was declared which will massively worsen the situation of all fighting prisoners in Greece in the time to come. The reform is aimed to match the Greek prisons with the prisons of isolation that exist in the rest of Europe. Currently Domokos prison (which lies in the middle of nowhere) is being emptied of prisoners so that it can be transformed to a type C prison (with the most severe prison conditions). It’s to be expected that the reform will be executed shortly. 
These are the reasons why we chose the Greek consulate for our attack. We send our solidarity to all political prisoners. This action is a contribution to giving the prisoners presence. Be it Marco Camenisch (Switzerland), Oliver Rast (Germany), Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas (Greece), Georges-Ibrahim Abdallah (France), Vincenzo Sisi (Italy) or all the others which would make this list endless – the prisoners contribute to ongoing debates on the revolutionary process. Let’s take up their ideas, let’s develop them, let’s continue the struggle. 

Freiheit für alle politischen Gefangenen 
Hände weg von Nikos Maziotis 

Freedom for all political prisoners 
Hands off Nikos Maziotis