Riots in the women’s prison in Tiva continued until late last night. They were provoked by the sudden death of the 41 year old Katerina Goulioni, who was found dead in her cabin, while she was being transferred from the prison in Tiva to the prison Neapoli on Crete Island. Katerina Goulioni was sentenced on 6 years in prison for dealing 20 grams of heroin. Among the other prisoners she was famous for her fight in protection of the women-prisoner’s rights and mainly for improving the conditions in women prisons and the cancellation of the mandatory gynecologist exams before entering the prison.

According to the Justice Ministry, the woman died from a heart attack. According to right-protecting organizations she was found with her hands tied behind her back and with blood in her face. All day yesterday, Katerina’s cellmates remained outside their cells and burned their sheets, while insisting that this death should be further investigated. Outside the prison, the Initiative for prisoner’s rights organized a protest procession with more than 60 motorcycles. They were under the strict supervision of the police and firefighters. Representatives of the organization wanted to meet and talk to the rioting prisoners but the Justice Minister Nikos Dendias did not allow the meeting to take place.

The chief secretary of the Justice Ministry Atanasios Andreoulakos, went inside the prison offer measures to improve the medical and sanitary services of the sentenced women and also to cancel the mandatory entry gynecological exam. Late at night the situation in the women’s prison Tiva was calm.

On Saturday, there was a riot in the Hania prison on Crete Island, where there are 118 beds present but there are 154 sentenced people. The prisoner’s riot was supported also by anarchists, who demonstrated in front of the prison building.