Inmates take over parts of Korydallos Prison to protest ‘bomber’ transfer

A representative from Greece’s Justice Ministry on Saturday had to defuse a disturbance at the capital’s Korydallos Prison by inmates protesting the transfer of the man suspected of sending the parcel bombs that seriously injured former prime minister Lucas Papademos in May 2016 and wounded an employee of the International Monetary Fund office in Paris in March of that same year.

The incident started in the morning hours when EKAM special forces entered the facility in order to transfer suspected bomber Constantinos Giagtzoglou, 29, back to Larissa Prison in central Greece, where he has been jailed pending trial. Giagtzoglou had been brought to Athens for a court appearance and requested that he be allowed to remain at Korydallos Prison. He reportedly went on hunger strike when his request was denied.

According to initial reports, a number of inmates from the prison’s A and D wings, which house inmates connected to urban guerrilla and anarchist groups, reacted to the news of Giagtzoglou’s transfer and allegedly stole keys from the guards, taking over several communal spaces in the facility early on Saturday.

The situation at the prison returned to normal about five hours later, though a rally was held outside the Justice Ministry by anarchist supporters, who clashed briefly with police.