Greek prisoner support: press release on hunger striker Thodoris Iliopoulos
Solidarity movement for Thodoris Iliopoulos | 11.08.2009 09:03 | Repression | World
Translators note: Thodoris Iliopoulos is a prisoner of the Greek state simply for his beliefs. He has been in hunger strike for more than a month and even though his life is in immediate danger they still dont allow him to be taken care of in a hospital!
Press release on hunger striker Thodoris Iliopoulos
Solidarity movement for Thodoris Iliopoulos (πρωτοβουλία αλληλεγγύης στο Θοδωρη Ηλιόπουλο)
Translators note: Thodoris Iliopoulos is a prisoner of the Greek state simply for his beliefs. He has been in hunger strike for more than a month and even though his life is in immediate danger they still dont allow him to be taken care of in a hospital!
PRESS RELEASE
Monday, 10 August 2009
Thodoris Iliopoulos (Θοδωρής Ηλιόπουλος) is in his 32nd day of continuing hunger strike. His health situation is getting more serious day after day and it begins to become clear that his life is in danger.
It is a pressing need to allow Thodoris Iliopoulos to be taken care of in a hospital. Thodoris Iliopoulos is currently monitored only by typical clinical examinations (sugar, pressure and weight measurements) while we are still in waiting to learn about his health from the still-unavailable results of his 3 August medical examinations!
His doctor, Specialist Pathologist Eleni Kakalou (Ελένη Κάκαλου) requests his transfer to a hospital. She says, after she examined Thodoris Iliopoulos today in Korydalos Prison:
“It is a very serious matter because he is not in a setting that his health can be monitored effectively, and at this moment his life is at risk. He has no strength, walking with difficulty to reach the doctor’s office or to use the telephone, and he is in pain and seized with cramps. In a few days his life will be in real danger, as with 18% weight loss there have been deaths in similar cases. Thodoris is very close to reaching this weight loss!”
The prison administration, not paying attention to the seriousness of the case, refuses to trasnfer him into a hospital, even though it’s only the prison administration that has the responsibility for maintaining Thodoris Iliopoulos' health, as his counsel N. Mavidis (Ν. Μαβίδης) says.
SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT FOR THODORIS ILIOPOULOS
(ΠΡΩΤΟΒΟΥΛΙΑ ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗΣ ΣΤΟ ΘΟΔΩΡΗ ΗΛΙΟΠΟΥΛΟ)


(here ends the press release)
Translator’s note: Translated from Greek to English; there may be some mistakes. Feel free to fix or improve the translation, as well as post it elsewhere. Note that there’s an online petition regarding Thodoris Iliopoulos at

in Greek:

----------------------
ATTACHMENT by the translator, not in the original press release:
Public denunciation by Thodoris Iliopoulos, 32 days in hunger strike
Solidarity movement for Thodoris Iliopoulos
PUBLIC DENUNCIATION BY THODORIS ILIOPOULOS
I denounce the directly involved persons who watch me in the prison's medical office and are related with science, who as they themselves say, they accept no responsibility for my health since I chose to become a hunger striker. The behaviour of some persons makes it evident that there is a psychological war. I wonder, would they do the same with Skopelis (Σκορπέλης), Georgiou (Γεωργίου) and Mavridis (Μαυρίδη)?
The struggle against the disgusting regime continues. The passion for freedom is stronger than all the prison’s cells.
Thodoris Iliopoulos (Θοδωρής Ηλιόπουλος), 10 August ‘09
Solidarity movement for Thodoris Iliopoulos
(πρωτοβουλία αλληλεγγύης στο Θοδωρη Ηλιόπουλο)


in Greek:

Translator’s note: Translated from Greek to English; there may be some mistakes. Feel free to fix or improve the translation, as well as post it elsewhere. Note that there’s an online petition regarding Thodoris Iliopoulos at

Translator’s note: Where the English translation says ‘disgusting’ the original Greek word is ‘σιχαμένο’ (sixameno) which probably could also be translated as ‘hated’.
Solidarity movement for Thodoris Iliopoulos
e-mail:
thodoris_iliopoulos.prtvl.all@hotmail.com
Homepage:
http://www.apofylakisithodoriiliopoulou.blogspot.com/
Comments
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the state we are forced to live in
11.08.2009 18:15
Anyway, he choses not to. And then choses to try and monopolise as much medical attention as possible. "ooo - i need to go to hospital". NO - you don't. There is nothing wrong with you. Why take away health facilities from people who need them and spend them on people who choose not to eat?
I've got a wisdom tooth which absolutely kills but the NHS wont take it out. I realise its nothing compared to the health damage of 32 days of not eating, but why should HE get medical preferences in in priority to me and all the other people who a) pay taxes to fund the health system and b) have genuine illnesses. Theres plenty of people with backs that totally ruin their lives through no fault of their own, but they cant get medical help because of idiots like this. The health systems aren't bottomless wells, so it should be prioritised to people who have genuine illnesses not self inflicted political ones.
Thats why people don't have sympathy for people like Thodoris. Because he is all take/take/take and no give. The best thing that could happen is he passes away or eats some (free) food. No buts, its his choice. He sounds like an adult so its time he acted like one and take responsibility. If he doesn't want to eat - tough, no medical care is going to get taken away from people who actually need it.
absolute
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