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Posts Tagged ‘Kostas Gournas’

‘Tame Words from a Wild Heart’ by Jean Weir (Elephant Editions)

Wednesday, February 1st, 2017

Preamble

Words. Mere Words. The pages that follow are in part transcriptions of the spoken word—‘the wonder worker that is no more’, as Emma Goldman wrote wistfully over one hundred years ago when referring to the inadequacy of the spoken word to awaken thought and shake people out of their lethargy. Here in the twenty-first century anarchists no longer talk about spoken propaganda to awaken the masses, bemoaning the absence of orators such as Johann Most or Luigi Galleani. In rare encounters organized by comrades today ‘the masses’ are noticeably absent, they don’t even enter the equation. Organized meetings or ‘talks’ as they are dully referred to are well-attended if there are 50–100 comrades. But there is no need for panic. Now all but the most disconnected fossilized anarchists have moved beyond aims of a quantitative growth in a hypothetical anarchist movement—where discourses addressed ‘to the masses’ have degenerated into an insulting populism—to the elaboration of ideas and methods addressed towards immediate action and attack on power in all its forms. Numbers have ceased to be important for anarchists as a prerequisite for attack. The illusion of ‘Le Grand Soir’ was a wonderful dream, it kept the flame flickering and thousands of militants waiting in the wings.

No, lack of numbers is no cause for alarm. They are there, the exploited, all around us—are also ‘us’—and could take us by surprise again at any moment (as could we ourselves). In the realm of the quantitative our task is to experiment and spread an insurrectional method for the self-organization of the necessary destruction of power and subjugation. Small groups with intermediate destructive aims based on affinity that can multiply, spread horizontally and coordinate, without limit. The apparent rift between anarchist theory and practice thus disappears along with the false conflict between individual and mass, and not least the conviction that the tenets of anarchism must be espoused by the exploited before they can fight for their own freedom along with that of others. An informal practice of attack leads to freedom revealing itself qualitatively, in leaps and bounds, far from the straight line of quantity, education, progress and waiting. (more…)

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Posted in Library

Tear Down the Bastille – Hunger Strike as a Means of Struggle – Voices From Inside the Walls (Greece)

Tuesday, December 6th, 2016

Translation note:
This issue of “Tear down the Bastille, voices from inside the walls” was published in Greece in April 2016 and its theme was hunger strike as a means of struggle.
Translated to English and Contributions by some anarchist comrades and Act for freedom now!

via actforfree.

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Text of Revolutionary Struggle prisoner Kostas Gournas about the hunger strike undertaken by Evi Statiri (Greece)

Monday, September 28th, 2015

It is a longstanding as well as an infamous tactic of the State — particularly of the police-judicial mechanism — to use fabricated charges against relatives so as to hold them hostage and put pressure on fighters and political prisoners. It was done in 2002 [against Angeliki Sotiropoulou, wife of 17N prisoner Dimitris Koufontinas], it was done in 2010 [against Marie Beraha, wife of Revolutionary Struggle prisoner Kostas Gournas], and it was done again in March 2015 [against Evi Statiri, wife of CCF prisoner Gerasimos Tsakalos, but also against Athena Tsakalou, mother of the Tsakalos brothers]. This is because the repressive policy applied against imprisoned members of armed organisations is an ongoing process of political extermination by any means.

After its capitulation on February 20th, the SYRIZA-led government was faced with the first class confrontation — that is, the hunger strike of political prisoners during Spring — and was compelled to vote favorably — among others – on an amendment that theoretically opened the way for the relatives of CCF members to be released. Today, after being refused her liberation six times by judicial councils, Evi Statiri, companion of an imprisoned member of the organisation, is still in prison. Her case is the clearest proof, not only of the acceptance of a state of emergency surrounding the memorandum by the government of the Left, but also of the strict application of a state of exception for political prisoners.

For those in society who had the clarity and determination to approach the ‘no’ vote in the referendum in a class manner and to oppose every memorandum, though without being able to take the next step forward, the question of an alternative way other than the one of delegation or relinquishment, which all the bourgeois parliamentary forces are charting, is more pressing than ever. And this is no other way than struggle and solidarity. Evi’s way…

SOLIDARITY WITH EVI STATIRI
on hunger strike since September 14th 2015

Kostas Gournas
September 15th 2015

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via contrainfo

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Posted in Prison Struggle

N.Maziotis and K.Gournas in prison transfer from Domokos to Korydallos for appeal trial in Revolutionary Struggle case (Greece)

Friday, May 29th, 2015

22.5.2015 – Comrades Nikos Maziotis and Kostas Gournas were transferred yesterday from Domokos prisons to Koridallos prisons where the upcoming trial will begin today 22.5.15 in the special court room of the prison.

The comrades were take straight to the basement cells of the female prisons, where they are basically in isolation…

After the demand by comrade Nikos Maziotis for a postponement in order for him to contact his lawyer since his transfer from Domokos was only the previous day, the court decided to adjourn till Wednesday June 10th at 9am.

After communicating with the comrades of the Revolutionary Struggle over the phone, we can state that they are strong and their morale is high!

via actforfree.

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Two solidarity demos for hungerstrike comrades outside Lamia hospital (Greece)

Saturday, March 28th, 2015



25.03: Solidarity demonstration by anarchists outside the Lamia Hospital where the hunger striking comrades D.Koufontinas and K.Gournas have been hospitalized (D.Koufontinas has stopped his hunger strike now*, K.Gournas remains on strike). The rooms that the comrades are in have small windows and both comrades responded to the chants and presence of the demonstrators with raised fists.

Second Solidarity Demo Outside Lamia Hospital on 27.03.15

Check out more infos at this blog: http://anarxikoilamias.squat.gr/

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*Dimitris Koufodinas wrote the following statement: “After the filing of the bill in the House of the Ministry of Justice, which satisfies our basic demands, I interrupt the 2 March hunger strike. The struggle continues. Dimitris Koufodinas, Lamia Hospital, 27/3/2015”.
http://www.eksegersi.gr/Επικαιρότητα/23623.Διακόπτει-την-απεργία-πείνας-ο-Δ-Κουφοντίνας

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Hunger Strike: Medical reports of comrades Antonis Stamboulos, Anastasios Theofilou, Nikos Maziotis and Dimitris Koufodinas (Greece)

Thursday, March 26th, 2015

I, the undersigned doctor, today on 03/25/2015, visited in turn:

Antonis Stamboulos (32 years) in Larissa prison, Anastasios Theofilou (32 years) and Nikos Maziotis (44 years) detainees in the prison of Domokos and wing E1 prison Domokos (Type ‘C) respectively, and Dimitris Koufodinas (57 years) and Kostas Gournas (34 years) hospitalized in secure-hospital Lamia, hunger strikers from 03.02.2015 until today.

All mentioned hunger strikers are on the 24th hunger strike day in a critical condition with now visible symptoms that they are at risk of destabilization of their bodies that may threaten their health and even their very lives.

All strikers have lost 13% -15% of their initial body weight, report feeling weakness, dyspnea, and fatigue on minimal exertion. Exhibiting hypotension, hypoglycemia, hyperuricemia, ketonuria, electrolyte abnormalities and mild mucosal pallor.

Considering the clinical picture, the results of laboratory tests and the particular problems of each, (from their personal history) I point out the seriousness of their situation, and I urge the competent institutions to take responsibility of their part immediately, to avoid any negative development .

The doctor
Pantelia Vergopoulou

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Lamia: Kostas Gournas, on hunger strike since 2/3, currently hospitalised (Greece)

Tuesday, March 24th, 2015

Since yesterday, March 23rd, anarchist prisoner on hunger strike Kostas Gournas (convicted Revolutionary Struggle member) has been moved from the type C maximum security prison of Domokos to the provincial hospital in Lamia, where the conditions are indescribably appalling, the prisoners are placed in isolation room-cells, and communication with them becomes difficult if not impossible.

In a brief telephone conversation just before his transfer, the comrade said: “The Ministry of Justice urges us to stop the hunger strike and rely on them… How much ‘reliability’ their commitments have as part of this government is demonstrated every day as they rip out the Memorandum and the implementation laws, cancel the ENFIA single property tax, and request a write-off of a large part of the debt… I only rely on the struggle. I continue the hunger strike.”

source: athens imc – contrainfo

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Posted in Prison Struggle

DE/IT: Revolutionary prisoner updates from RHI-SRI (Switzerland)

Friday, March 6th, 2015

Bruno Ghirardi und Vincenzo Sisi sind nun frei

Bruno und Vincenzo wurden nun definitiv, am 13 und 19 Februar, aus der Haft entlassen. Sie haben ihre Strafe ganz abgesessen und verbrachten die 8 Jahre in verschiedene Hochsicherheitsgefängnisse, als letztes im Siano-Catanzaro.

Vom repressiven Schlag damals, gegen den Aufbau des PC P-M Partito Comunista Politico Militare („Politisch-Militärische Kommunistische Partei“), bleiben noch zwei Genossen im Knast. Obwohl der Schlag damals diesen operativen Entwurfsversuch beendete, gab der Widerstand im Knast, der sich auf diesem Aufbauprozess bezog, weiterhin eine Stimme den Inhalten des Politprogramms. (more…)

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Combative prisoners on collective hunger strike as of March 2nd 2015 (Greece)

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2015

via contra-info:

On March 2nd 2015, combative prisoners launched a hunger strike in various Greek prisons. Their main demands are: the abolition of Article 187 (criminal organisation) and Article 187A (terrorist organisation) of the Greek Penal Code; of the “hoodie law” (acts committed with concealed physical characteristics); of the legal framework for Type C prisons; of the prosecutorial provision of forcible taking of DNA samples – and the immediate release from prison of Savvas Xiros (convicted for his participation in the R.O. 17 November) on health grounds.

So far, those who have joined the political prisoners’ mobilisation and collective hunger strike are three urban guerrillas incarcerated in the E1 wing of Domokos type C prison: Dimitris Koufontinas, Kostas Gournas, and Revolutionary Struggle member Nikos Maziotis – and five participants in the Network of Imprisoned Fighters (DAK): Antonis Stamboulos (Larissa prison), Tasos Theofilou (Domokos prison), Fivos Harisis, Argyris Ntalios and Giorgos Karagiannidis (Koridallos prison). The rest of the comrades who participate in the Network of Imprisoned Fighters will join the hunger strike in the coming days.

Furthermore, in the E1 wing of Domokos type C prison, Giorgos Sofianidis has been on hunger strike since February 27th, requesting the abolition of type C maximum security prisons, in addition to his immediate transfer to Koridallos prison in order to continue his studies – and as of today, March 2nd, Mohamed-Said Elchibah also went on a hunger strike.

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Posted in Prison Struggle

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

Saturday, February 28th, 2015

Via contrainfo:

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

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Santiago: Revolutionary solidarity – Incendiary barricades for prisoners in Greece ($hile)

Friday, January 16th, 2015

Complicidad y solidaridad más allá de los idiomas, banderas y fronteras.

Con el comienzo del año y aprovechando las celebraciones, el gobierno griego dio comienzo a un proceso de traslado de prisionerxs hacia la Cárcel de tipo C de Domokos, con el claro objetivo de aislar a lxs prisionerxs en guerra e intentar amainar la lucha anárquica que cada día se intensifica en las calles y dentro de los siniestros muros de las prisiones.

El primer prisionero trasladado fue el compañero anarquista Nikos Maziotis miembro de Lucha Revolucionaria a lo que rápidamente de sumaron Dimitris Koufontinas, miembro de la organización 17 Noviembre, Kostas Gournas miembro de Lucha Revolucionaria, Yannis Naxakis y Grigoris Sarafoudis, condenados por atraco a mano armada y por supuesta participación en las CCF. (more…)

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Posted in Direct Action

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

Friday, 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

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Posted in Prison Struggle

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

Friday, January 2nd, 2015

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.

– via contrainfo.

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Posted in Prison Struggle

Interview with Kostas Gournas / Interview mit Kostas Gournas (Greece)

Friday, August 15th, 2014

From RHI-SRI:

1. Can you talk about the general situation in Greece?

Currently the most multifaceted crisis that the country has seen in peacetime in recent history is in full swing. In the past 5 and a half years such profound upheavals have occurred that one might only expect to encounter in wartime. The global financial crisis of 2008 brought Greece to the top of the European debt crisis. It was set as a model for the imposition of extreme austerity across the Eurozone. In no other country has such an overwhelming “shock therapy” been imposed in such a short time, with such disastrous consequences for society – not even during the first experiments of the neoliberal school in Latin America. A therapy that devastated the economy, reducing the GDP of the country by 25%, creating nearly 2 million unemployed and forcing the majority of people to live a life below the poverty line.

Greek society is experiencing a double default. The financial one developed as follows: A huge fiscal deficit of the government inflated the ten-year bond spreads so that the Greek state could not serve the debt. The Troika’s ( IMF – EU – EIT ) control of the economy – not just the country – inflated the debt to the point that it became unsustainable. Along with the process of debt restructuring (PSI) the exposure of foreign credit institutions was replaced by Greek bonds. They that were subsequently passed on to the people having contracted new loans through transnational EFSF and ESM. (more…)

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Posted in Interviews

Letter by K.Gournas, member of R.O – Revolutionary Struggle, and D.Koufodinas, member of R.O. – 17 November (Greece)

Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014

Via Actforfree:

The legislation for the prisons creates the Greek Guantanamo.
Those incarcerated in these special kinds of the prisons:

-Are deprived of all rights the other prisoners have (days of leave, probation etc.)

-Have their visitation rights and phone calls minimized (almost eliminated).

-Remain locked in their cells for up to 23 hours a day.

A special police force comes into these prisons with classified duties and authorities.

This asphyxiating regime of detainment reminds us… of the American Guantanamo [Bay]. This legislation of Samaras, Dendias and Athanasiou is of fascist inspiration. Its an expression of a state of permanent emergency. It is the equivalent memorandum for the prisoners.

The micro-society of prison would not be unscathed by the full on attack on Greek society. The moment that at a global scale neo-liberal capitalism, in order to overcome the crisis steps on decades of vested rights, applies to Greek society the most inhuman version of this strategy. (more…)

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Posted in Prison Struggle