21-year-old jailed anarchist and bank robber Nikos Romanos started his hunger strike in prison when his request to study at the technical college of his choice was rejected at the beginning of the year. His request was rejected by the prosecutor and the young man’s has been hospitalized at Gennimatas Hospital so that he can be kept alive.

Mr. Romanos admits that his hunger strike is a type of “political blackmail” to force the state to allow him to study, especially after they gave him the right to study and sit for the Panhellenic exams. He managed to part at a technical college to study Business Administration of Health Units though it is not certain whether he will be in a position to practice his studies due to the jail sentence he is serving.

Mr. Romanos has the backing of the hospital staff in his plea to study, whereas celebrity comedians Lakis Lazopoulos, Jimmy Panousis and the protagonists of the show, Ellinofreneia, wrote a joint letter in favor of Mr. Romanos’ right to study after having sat for his exams.

A number of prisoners have also started hunger strikes in support of their fellow prisoner’s right to study.

In an effort to find a solution, Justice Minister Charalambos Athanasiou suggested that Mr. Romanos be given the right to study by correspondence, making use of skype or other technical means.  He added that this would need to be discussed with the Education Ministry.

Mr. Athanasiou said that the jail council had decided to not release Mr. Romanos after the rejection of his furlough application to study in person. He said that his ministry’s collaboration with the ministry of Education allowed students in jail to take online courses at state expense. He reiterated that he had no jurisdiction by law to give or reject educational leaves. He said that the prosecutor was responsible for the furlough application.

On Friday, Lawyer Frangiskos Ragousis said that the his client’s death was a matter of days if the hunger strike were to continue.