21-year-old offender Nikos Romanos, serving a 15-year jail sentence in Avlona, near Athens after taking part in armed robbery in February of 2013 has been on hunger strike since November 10. During his sentence he prepared for and successfully passed entrance exams for the Technical College of Health Business Administration of Athens, however he is prevented from continuing his education as his study furlough request rejected.

Justice Minister Haralambos Athanasiou on Wednesday said that he would make legislative reform to allow inmates to study while serving prison time. The draft legislation is ready and would include inmates to communicate with their schools through teleconference meetings and other avenues of correspondence. The only hitch is that the draft legislation won’t be voted within the next 48 hours as the 2015 budget is currently being discussed so that it can be voted on by midnight on December 7. Furthermore, Education Minister Andreas Loverdos is in China and is due to return to Athens on Sunday.

The government is concerned that there may be violent scenes during the commemoration of the death of Alexis Grigoropoulos at Exarchia on December 6. The young boy was shot by a policeman in front of Mr. Romanos. The police fear that the link between Mr. Romanos to the young boy may prompt riots during the anniversary of the death.

There has already been a round of solidarity for Mr. Romanos with thousands clashing with the police on Tuesday and students occupying the main administration of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki on Wednesday. In a letter released yesterday, titled “Dancing With Death for 24 Days”, Mr. Romanos accused the Greek government and Mr. Athanasiou of being responsible for his possible demise. The letter calls for people to riot on December 6 on the anniversary of the death of his friend in 2008. “Long live anarchy!” he says, stating that it is worth dying for your dreams.