I wish to inform you that from November 25th, 2013 I started a hunger strike, and sent a related memo to the ministry, to sympathize with my fellow prisoner, friend, brother and co-fighter Spyros Stratoulis, who is incarcerated in the prison of Larissa. Since November 11th, 2013, he refrains from eating, thus claiming his acquittal from unfounded accusations attributed to him, for participation in a criminal organization and causing dangerous bodily harm, relating to events that occurred in July 2012 in Thessaloniki.
These charges resulted to the interruption of the regular days of leave he was receiving for two years, following all legal procedures under article 55, paragraph 1 of the penitentiary code. With this act of support, I assume the fight of hunger strike as a last resort, and tangibly express that I am on his side. I made a conscious decision: I know very well my co-fighter Spyros Stratoulis, and his struggles on the inside, when he risked his life and further detention, but never his dignity. I empathize with what he’s going through; we have gone through many hard times together in various prisons, and as much as we could, within the constraints of prison, we also shared moments of joy. Spyros is like family to me, and I will be on his side till the end. I know that he would do the same for me.
The struggle for freedom concerns us all, and we’ll continue to struggle at any cost in order to see him, one more person deprived of freedom, freed from the shackles of prison.
Full support to co-fighter and brother on hunger strike Spyros Stratoulis
THE PASSION FOR FREEDOM IS STRONGER THAN ALL PRISONS
Michalis Ramadanoglou
Inmate of Grevena prison