Another letter to the Guardian...

I am writing to you out of deep concern for the 7 prisoners held in Greek jails and currently on hunger strike. Their deaths will not be a victory for anyone. I believe however that in the event of any deaths amongst them, the Greek state and justice system could be the biggest loser. Here are the problems with this case.

There is severe doubt over Simon’s arrest and the behaviour of police. The court must urgently reconsider the charges in the light of the video and witness evidence which appear to support Simon’s story that he was intent on purely peaceful political protest and was 'fitted up' by police. But at the very least I urge that he should be granted bail; his family are understandably very anxious about his state of health.

Simon Chapman maintains that he was engaged in peaceful anti-globalisation protests in Thessaloniki before he was arrested and charged with serious riot and explosives offences carrying a potential 25 year prison sentence. He claims he was overpowered with tear gas, attacked and dishonestly framed by police who allegedly removed his bag containing only water and clothes and planted on him a bag containing Molotov cocktails, an axe and a hammer. Simon’s claims are apparently supported by film evidence taken from a Greek television channel. The tapes, from two Greek channels, show Mr Chapman clearly wearing a blue rucksack during fighting with police. Separate footage then shows Greek police in riot gear collecting petrol bombs and other items into a black rucksack. Mr Chapman has been charged with possession of a black rucksack containing petrol bombs, a hammer and an axe.

I am sure the British, Spanish and Greek governments are aware of these facts and the failure to intervene in the light of extremely suspicious behavior by the Greek police and clear evidence is frankly disturbing. This blatant disregard for human rights and human life is not the behaviour of civilised states, who are constantly pretending to stand up for 'democracy' and 'human rights'. The ridiculousness of the Greek justice system is being exposed obviously; the swapping of a rucksack of the WRONG COLOUR, and the court's disregard for this fact is staggering. The slowness of the British government and press to make a fuss about these arbitrary arrests is also telling. Contrast their treatment with that of Vladimir Gusinsky, the former Russian media baron who was bailed within just four days of his arrest in Athens in the summer. It is strange to see that the system in Greece has different standards, none of [the seven] has a record nor any other outstanding warrants. I am sure that a British businessman would receive massive media coverage... remember the planespotters, they were all over the press, and the British government was active in its support for them and negociation with the Greek authorities. Double standards on all sides; again, even the Guardian has the nasty smell of the propaganda model lingering around it.

I look forward to your reply,

Benjamin Zeitlyn

try a search on the Guardian website for 'planespotters' and then one for 'Thessaloniki prisoners'...

press reports compiled by indymedia, even the Telegraph are skeptical. Also check out the photos and video footage available.

In the line of fire: The policing of mass demonstrations is becoming increasingly repressive and politicised article in the Guardian by the editor of the New Internationalist