A LETTER FROM GEORGE KARAKASIAN, WHILE HOSTAGE OF THE STATE IN CYPRUS, NOW RELEASED AFTER FIVE MONTHS IN NICOSEA PRISON, CYPRUS
16 November 2002

I have been a hostage in the prisons of the Cypriot State since August 27 2002. The court convicted me, giving me a seven months sentence because I rebelled, offering my solidarity to the fighting people of Palestine, but also, and mainly, because I didn’t regret hitting a cop, my class enemy. I admitted all the charges that the protectors and accomplices of the zionist murderers accused me of. In my ‘defence’ I said that the charges against me were questionable and completely ridiculous. The attempt to knock off a cop’s hat had been interpreted by the media as ‘continuous punching’ using artificial video repetition and false testimonies of the police.
Of course the slander, twisting and misrepresentation concerning the events that took place on the 18 April outside the blood-drenched villa of the zionist scum, does not end here. During a period of social unrest marked by international mobilization against the baneful slaughter by the dominators which is continually intensifying (Afghanistan, Middle East and Iraq), the TV and radio represented the actions of anarchists and other fighting people as ‘shameful episodes’.
As well as persecuting rebels the Cypriot State imports Israeli systems of surveillance and has even provided a stadium for the Israeli team to play football in so as to maintain perfect diplomatic relations with the bloodthirsty State of Israel.
In my ‘defence’ in court (27/08/02) I said the following: ‘The police concocted this machination, adding maximum charges against me in order to vilify me as much as possible. The cops are the henchmen of the State, authority and zionism. I declare with full responsibility that I am against the State and every kind of authority. Concerning the ‘beating ‘ of the police chief, I do not see that I acted wrongly nor do I ask for the leniency of the court’.
The judge executioner, surprised at first, mentioned that this could not be called an ‘defence’ or was a defence in quotation marks. Then, furious, he had me remanded in custody until the day of the verdict (September 4) bearing in mind the report of the social welfare office.
4/09/02. Before pronouncing sentence the judge, on reading the interview that I gave to the social worker, said: ‘In his interview the accused expresses his ideology since he stated that he struggles for a society with equality and solidarity, without nations or classes.’ Before the judge could finish his sentence I raised my fist towards his hated bench, then towards the public to face my comrades who had fought with me, intending in this way to assure everyone in the courtroom, and also all those who every day sink further into the swamp of apathy and illusions, THAT CONSENSUS WITH THE TERRORIST STATE WILL NEVER EXIST
Finally I would like to give my solidarity to comrade Sotiris Marangos who is being tried for the same events and to all those who rebel everywhere in the world.

George Karaksaian
George’s imprisonment was a consequence of events that occurred at a demonstration outside the home of the Israeli ambassador in Nicosia, Cyprus. The occasion was a party the latter had decided to throw for local politicians and businessmen to celebrate the anniversary of the bloodthirsty State of Israel. Many people, including anarchists, were angry about this celebration of the genocide of the Palestinian people.
A number of arrests were made and particular repression was meted out to the anarchists as they did not attempt to defend their actions, underlining their solidarity with the people of Palestine in their struggle against the Israeli project of annihilation. George was severely beaten that night and taken to hospital. The next day his file was nowhere to be found. He was later sentenced to 7 month’s prison during which time his mail was witheld and all his personal belongings (books, letters, etc) confiscated. He is now in hospital with serious injuries following a motorcycle accident.

CONTACT FOR Cyprus anarchist group: esegersi2002@yahoo.com
Website: www.geocities.com/anarxikos_pirinas_kiprou