Koufodinas’ lawyer seeks abolition of prosecutor’s veto over furloughs

The lawyer of convicted terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas on Wednesday called on the Justice ministry to amend provisions that allow the Supreme Court prosecutor to veto requests for prison leaves, citing her client's failing health.

Koufodinas, who is serving 11 life sentences for his part in the murders of now defunct terrorist group November 17, started a hunger strike this month after a prison council rejected what would have been his seventh leave.

“Given the impasse caused by the deterioration of his health and the limitations of the legal framework, the only possibility to avoid a preventable development is for the Ministry of Justice to amend the provisions of the prison law that are constantly producing impasses and unfair situations, depriving prisoners of their access to the rights they are entitled to and exposing judges and prosecutors to the pressure of having to make decisions of expediency rather than substance,” Ioanna Kourtovik said in a statement.

She then reminded ruling SYRIZA that the abolition was a pledge the party had made before coming to power.

Koufodinas is being held at a minimum security rural prison in central Greece.