Benefit voku for the imprisoned comrades Giannis Karatsolis and Sofoklis Toutziarakis
On 18/01/23, a police–media spectacle begins in Patras following a raid by the Hellenic Police (EL.AS.) on the homes of 7 individuals, under the pretext of an investigation into unsolved robberies that had taken place in the city. Those arrested are confronted with a frame-up and are charged with forming a criminal organization. After a sham trial, with flimsy indictments, planted witnesses, and numerous contradictions, the charge of criminal organization is downgraded to that of a gang, and the remaining charges are separated. One of the defendants was acquitted. The comrades, Giannis Karatsolis and Sofoklis Toutziarakis are accused to 21 years and 3 months and 25 years and 6 months for 7 robberies. At the risk of serving four-fifths of the sentence imposed. Right now, Giannis is at Malandrino’s prison and Sofoklis at Agios Stefano’s prison.
What follows is their social vilification, presenting them as individuals well known to the authorities, anti-authoritarians with a rich criminal past. In the case of Giannis Karatsolis a pivotal role in his prosecution was played by his surname, as he is attributed the title “The son of Stelios of 17th November.” His conviction was pre-decided despite the total absence of evidence, which was nevertheless deemed incriminating, labeling him as the mastermind. His orchestrated identification is set in motion in order to secure his pre-trial detention and ultimately his conviction. Likewise, in the case of Sofoklis Toutziarakis there is no identification whatsoever, while the hostility with which he was treated was evident in the attempt to link him even to a robbery case that had already been conclusively closed, for which other individuals had confessed and been convicted. The targeting of the two comrades was not accidental, as they are people who from a young age had active participation in struggles for social and class emancipation. Their political activity was a decisive factor, since both were activated at “Parartima” squat at Patras and every subject active within it are in the crosshairs of repression.
Against the manufactured binaries of innocent–guilty, we respond with solidarity. In the face of state violence, we stand by our comrades!
Until the demolition of every prison!
Open solidarity assembly for the imprisoned comrades.
Since June 2005, Joe's Garage is an autonomous squatted political social center, a meeting place in the Transvaal neighborhood for squatters and non-squatters, subsidy free, not for profit, self-organized and entirely run by volunteers.
Volkseten Vegazulu is a people’s kitchens existing since the very beginning of Joe’s Garage, June 2005. Your donations are welcome. Food is vegan, no reservation. All benefits go to social & political struggles. Joe’s Garage is a space run by volunteers. Without a collective effort, without your active participation, we’re remaining closed. Get in touch in you feel like giving a hand. We’re always looking for cooks. Any help is welcome in the kitchen. Experience not required. If you want to know which days are still available, mail us.
