The starving Greek prisoners have become more than 7 000, reported from “Initiative for the rights of the prisoners,” a non-governmental organization. It is a third week now that the ones sentenced are protesting against the ancient conditions in the Greek prisons, where terms like hygiene do not exist and the misery is demeaning. More than half of thr prisoners do not eat, and many of don’t even drink water, which worsens their health condition. On Tuesday night, three strikers from the Thessaloniki prison “Diavata,” two men and one woman, were taken to the “Papagiorgiou” hospital. According to the director of the prison, their lives are not in danger.

In the last three-four days the number of guards is also growing, who join the hunger strike of the prisoners. According to “Initiative for the rights of the prisoners,” many guards from different prisons around the country are also starving. Last night, the non-governmental organization organized demonstration in support of the strikers in front of the Athens prison “Koridalos.”  The demonstrators circled around the prison and shouted in support of the strikers. From inside the jail cells, crowded prisoners started setting on fire sheets and paper in expression of their gratitude.

Finally, it is expected for today the bill to enter the parliament regarding the reform of the prisons, which should affect the situation of two-thirds of the ones sentenced for drug trafficking positively. The prisoners sentenced up to 2 years will have the right ask for a release after serving 1/5^th of their time, and the ones sentenced for a period bigger then 2 years – after serving 1/3^rd of their punishment. The prisoners sentenced for up to 5 years, will have the opportunity to be released with bail, which equals to 3 Euros per day and in some cases to 1 Euro per day.