Conditional release imposes the well-known restrictions: Presence at the police station and a ban on leaving the country until the end of the sentence. This is a normal procedure. However, what the state reserves for the cases of prisoners convicted under 187A, the well-known “anti-terrorism” law, is the subjection of everyone to the control and restrictions of an authority that was also established in Greece following a European directive.
This is the Anti-Money Laundering Authority, Section B (from now on in the text I will refer to it as an Authority) which is headed by prosecutors. Based on Article 50 of Law 4557/2018, everyone who has been convicted of dynamic-armed forms of resistance, that is, for “terrorism” according to state phraseology and legislation, has no right over any asset in their possession, whether it concerns bank accounts or real estate or anything else, since everything is frozen by the Authority.
In order for someone to open a bank account (at a time when every economic activity is now required to pass through the control of banks), e.g. for payroll or for an allowance, one must apply to the Authority, which will approve the use of a single account for this reason alone. However, as far as other assets are concerned, it is obliged to apply to the Authority for the partial release of some assets and the Authority will only accept it if it considers that this is absolutely necessary. And as is always the case, the Authority gives negative answers. That is, someone with a house that he has inherited from his parents, cannot transfer it to his child, rent it or sell it since the Authority prohibits it, even if he has a significant problem of survival.
So while one would expect this Authority to deal with what its name declares, that is, to control the origin of the assets and income of a person convicted under 187A, its work extends to any property of legal origin that binds it and prohibits any use of it forever.
My case is one of those cases that face this problem and will face it for the rest of their lives. In the case of those convicted under 187 (“criminal organization”) there is a possibility to get out of this situation, in the case of those convicted under 187A, no. This is a serious element that confirms once again that for the state in the hierarchy of violators of the state legal framework, the first place is held by those who chose the path of armed revolutionary action. Even in the face of heinous and deeply antisocial crimes, armed political resistance to the regime is met with the utmost vindictiveness. Continue reading “Greece: ‘The Hostage-Taking Does Not End, It Just Changes Its Face’ – Pola Roupa”
