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Wanneer: 20/04/2023 - 09:31

Anarchist Alfredo Cospito has concluded his 181 day hunger strike against the 41 bis prison law, citing a victory in court declaring it unconstitutional to overlook extenuating circumstances. Cospito still risks 20 years in prison.

A quick & dirty translation of the communiqué by @illwilleditions:

Press Release on the Alfredo Cospito Affair April 19, 2023

It was on October 20, 2022 when Alfredo Cospito, during the first hearing he was entitled to attend after his transfer to the 41 bis confinement regime on May 4, 2022, declared his intention to Initiate a hunger strike

The reasons for the protest lay in the anarchist's bitter criticism of the 41 bis regime and the hostile Iie sentence

Since Oct. 20, 181 days have now passed in which Cospito, through his increasingly thin and exhausted body, has exposed what this special: detention regime concretely means: illogical deprivations imposed on detainees, harsh limitations lacking any legitimate purpose, sensory deprivation, an Orwellian environment in which one is constantly observed and listened to by cameras and microphones. Furthermore, the inability to read. study and evolve culturally, or to receive books and magazines om outside even when sent directly from publishing houses, elderly inmates who are prevented for decades from hugging or even touching the hands of their children, spouses, or siblings.

Thais to Cospito's protest, and the mobilizations of a multifarious world including extra-parliamentary political activists, the anarchist movement. intellectuals who lined up in support of the motives of the protest, and the media world that allowed these uncomfortable tosics to reach people's homes, millions of people, including especially the younger generation. now understand the incompatibility 041 bis with the principles of humane punishment, and thus with the Constitution born of tae antifascist struggle.

Thanks to the Cospito afar, 41 bis is less and less condoned by a public opinion that in recent months has been called upon to play an active role to overcoming and banishing indifference to others

To this immediate victory must be added another, namely, the declaraton of admissipiity and consequent registration of the apoeal fled oy the Strasbourg lawyer Antonella fascia and the undersigned he European Court a? Human Rights concerning tne differential penitentiary regime autnorized by Aric. 4105 OP.

The merits of this appeal. in which serious violations of the £DU Convention have been raised, wit be evaluated within bc to three years (this is the time ame for a ruling} and could represent te legal wrench taat will banish tne infumane instrument of 41-bis, as accurred in the case of hostile imprisonment

Last but not least, the oajective victory achieved yesterday with the Constitutonal Court's decsion of April 18, 2023. uehich. from what we understand of the associated statement, not only impacts the fate o* the anarchist prisoner, but declares unicanstitutianal the refusal to consider any mitigating “acters [i.e repeated recidivism for all crimes whose sentence is fixed. and providing for life imprisonment alone.

In conclusion, the struggle waged ny Cospito can be said to have achieved its goals. However. unlike te much more immediate decisian of the Consulta, the time row required to await the dec.sion of the LCHR is incompatiole with a hunger strike, and the Strasbourg decision is worth waiing for.

Consequently. Alfredo Gospito, after risking his life througn 180 days of “asting, having lost 50 kiograms and permanently damaged his ability to walk due ta irreversible impaiment of his peripheral nervous system. decided on April 19. 202 to corciude is hunger strike.

In doing so. he wishes 10 thari< each and every pe-san who made 5 tenac ous and unusual form of protest nossisle.

—Attorney Flavio Rossi Albertini