Korydallos Prison inmates protest ’primitive’ conditions

Some 200 inmates at Korydallos Prison in southern Athens went on hunger strike on Friday to complain about conditions and lack of care at the jail’s infirmary, claiming that up to 15 prisoners, some with infectious diseases, are kept in the same cell.

In a letter, the inmates complained of “primitive” conditions in the wing where sick prisoners are held. They also claimed that 10 inmates had died there during the last three months.

The Justice Ministry said that sick prisoners would soon be moved to a new wing constructed at Korydallos. It also noted that the pressure on medical services has increased due to the rising number of HIV sufferers held at the jail. In 2001, there were just 45 but this has risen to 130.