Crime official says hunger-striking terrorist has not exhausted legal avenues
Greece’s general secretary for anti-crime policy, Sofia Nikolaou, on Tuesday said that jailed terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas has the right to apply for early release in September under the provisions of the current criminal code and questioned why he has resorted to extreme measures to secure his transfer out of the Domokos maximum-security prison in central Greek.
“Why is he on hunger strike?” Nikolaou asked in an interview with Skai TV on Tuesday morning, referring to the life-threatening hunger strike by the 62-year-old hitman of the November 17 terrorist organization.
“His life is in his own hands. If he believes that the law has been violated, why doesn’t he take recourse to justice?” she said, indicating that Koufodinas – whose condition has been described as critical by doctors treating him at a hospital in Lamia, central Greece – did not exhaust all avenues of due process before going on a prolonged hunger strike in January.
Nikolaou also reiterated that Koufodinas’ demand to the transferred to the capital’s Korydallos Prison cannot be met, as this particular penitentiary has been designated as a pretrial detention facility and does not have the security features required to house lifers like the November 17 assassin, who is serving 11 life terms plus an additional 25 years.
She also confirmed that Koufodinas is not receiving any food or water, but claimed that doctors will intervene to save his life if this become necessary. The jailed terrorist’s lawyer, however, said over the weekend that he has signed a “do not resuscitate” order for the event of his death.
