An international day of solidarity has been called for Thursday, July 10, in support of the eight prisoners arrested during the demonstrations against the European Union summit in Thessaloniki three weeks ago. The eight, who are facing felony charges and up to 25 years in jail, have been refused bail are still in prison in Greece. In London, supporters will gather at 3 pm at the Greek tourism office and the Greek airline, on Conduit Street, to raise awareness about the injustice being perpetrated by the Greek government.
This injustice is particularly well documented in the case of Simon Chapman. Simon, a protestor from the UK, was beaten in prison and denied access to medical care, despite suffering serious head injuries and broken ribs. Only at the insistance of the British consular was a doctor was permitted to attend him.
He and the other prisoners are being charged with possession of explosives, resisiting authority and rioting. However, there is evidence that Simon was framed by the police; video footage documents police planting black bags of molotov cocktails on him while he was being beaten.
The prisoners include Carlos Martinez and Fernando Perez, from Spain; two Greek protestors; an exile from Syria, who has been living in Greece for thirteen years; and an American, who has already been deported to the U.S. The Syrian is now facing deportation.
The prisoners’ court hearings took place in late June, and they will be remanded in custody for the next three months. The three separate counts with which the protestors are being charged all carry sentences ranging from 7 to 25 years in prison.
Already, there have been a number of solidarity actions in the UK and around Europe. In the UK, supporters protested at the Greek Embassy in London on Saturday 28th June. At a meeting called by the Thessaloniki Support Campaign on July 1st, around 70 people crammed into the London Action Resource Cente to see the video and photographic evidence that Simon Chapman was fitted-up by Greek police.
Meanwhile, in Berlin, the Greek embassy has been occupied twice and there have been protests in support of the prisoners in Denmark and Milan. There have been also been reports of sabotages against the Greek tourism office in Amsterdam.
for more information and for updates about the issue, check out the wombles website (www.wombles.org.uk)
Contacts and Support
Contact email for the uk support group:
thessalonikiprisoners@yahoo.co.uk There are many ways that we can support Simon Chapman and show our solidarity with the 8 prisoners.
· Write to Simon
Letters of support can make all the difference to keep up his spirits as he waits for a decision form the panel of judges. Knowing that others are out there thinking about you is vital to remaining strong while inside. Advice on letter writing is available by emailing us at the address at the bottom.
Write letters to:
Kratoumeno SIMON CHAPMAN
Dikastikes Fylakes Diavaton
T.K. 540 12
Thessaloniki
GREECE
· Write to Carlos Martinez and Fernando Perez (in Spanish)
Fernando has appeared in the press as an international terrorist wanted in 23 countries! This is obviously all bullshit. Neither Carlos or Fernando can speak much english so they will find it hard to communicate to other prisoners. You can write to them, in Spanish, at the following address:
Write letters to:
Kratoumeno Carlos Martinez
Dikastikes Fylakes Diavaton
T.K. 540 12
Thessaloniki
GREECE
Kratoumeno Fernando Perez
Dikastikes Fylakes Diavaton
T.K. 540 12
Thessaloniki
GREECE
· Write or email letters of protest to the Greek Ambassador to the UK Greek Ambassador to the UK
Embassy of Greece
1A Holland Park
London, W11 3TP
Tel: 020 7229 3850
Fax: 020 7229 7221
Emails:
political@greekembassy.org.uk commercial@greekembassy.org.uk pressoffice@greekembassy.org.uk · Take action
It is vital that we continue the actions of international solidarity that have started in other European cities. There will be an international day of action in support of the 8 on July 10. We need to mobilise ourselves and continue to take action in our demand that all charges against the prisoners are dropped and they are immediately released. In London, there will be solidarity actions at the Greek tourism office and the Greek airline, both of which are located on Conduit St. (off Regent Street, near the Oxford Circus tube), from 3 pm until around 7 pm.
· Donations
A Greek bank account has been set up for Simon to access funds. There are no limitations on the amount of money a prisoner can have. We are coordinating the transfer of money from the UK to this account. If you would like to make a financial donations please send cheques payable to “ABC” to BM Automatic, London WC1N 3XX, UK.
Books (paperback only) and newspapers can also be sent, direct to Simon at the prison address.
· Keep up to date with events
To receive regular email updates and for info on the forthcoming solidarity actions in the UK email:
thessalonikiprisoners@yahoo.co.uk 
e-mail:
