HUNGER STRIKE TO THE DEATH IN DEFENSE OF LIFE

Message to the society, my family, my friends

My name is Aristotelis Chantzis, as a member and resident of the Community of Squatted Prosfygika on Alexandras Avenue, I am going on a hunger strike to the death, recognizing this action as a means of struggle to highlight a collective struggle aimed at preserving Prosfygika of Alexandras Avenue as social housing and as a structure of solidarity for vulnerable social groups, as an organized community of struggle.

The attack we are facing is part of the holistic attack by the state and capitalism on the world of community, self-organization, solidarity, and social resistance.

The Community of Squatted Prosfygika was born in 2010, a period when Greek society was constantly on the streets, in assemblies in the squares and in solidarity structures, trying to find a solution to life under the boot of the memorandum regime. The Community of Squatted Prosfygika continues to participate in social and class struggles.

The state, regardless of which government was in power, planned the abandonment and degradation of Prosfygika as a standard tactic before the onslaught of gentrification. Over the years, it has used every unethical means to serve the interests of private individuals, contractors, companies, and to strengthen the political clientele of regional governors, municipal authorities, and the government. If it weren’t for the community taking care of the buildings of Prosfygika all these years, they would have been demolished long ago.

The Community of Squatted Prosfygika is a social proposal against the world of loneliness, individualization, insecurity, homelessness, and inadequate or non-existent medical care that states and capitalism push upon us. We have built 22 solidarity structures for education, health, food, culture, art, technical support for housing, the empowerment and collectivisation of women and femininities, the democratisation of the family, and individual participation in common affairs. We build relationships of trust, security, friendship, and solidarity with our fellow human beings. These relationships and structures are not limited to certain members but are our social proposal for the whole of society. We operate directly democratically through weekly general assemblies and plenary conferences.

Our goal is to solve social problems. Our goal is to create a community and solidarity structures that support vulnerable social groups.

Through thw hunger strike, I invite you to see this community, its solidarity structures, and its residents up close, to get to know us, to expand the world of community, to unite our voices, our anguish for life, and our struggles!

Regarding the hunger strike to the death:

As the Community of Squatted Prosfygika, we have decided to defend our social proposal, the people, the structures, and the historical memory of the Prosfygika to the end. It is our clear choice and our responsibility to give even our lives for the continuation of life. Because we know that if Prosfygika are evacuated, a large portion of us will find ourselves on the street. The elderly and the sick will die on the streets, and children will lose their homes and schools, with incalculable consequences for their physical and mental health and the course of their lives. Based on this collective decision to defend ourselves, I have voluntarily decided to go on a hunger strike to the death, with the utmost respect for life.

The method I have chosen allows the striker to go on a long hunger strike, so that there is enough time to communicate the demands to society. Of course, I am aware that I may experience health complications from the first days and throughout the strike, not so much from starvation but from cardiac arrest. I also know that even if the outcome is successful, chronic starvation can cause irreparable damage, mainly to my nervous system, even during the recovery period.

My diet includes:

Water, Tea, 10-25 grams of Sugar per day, 1-1.5 teaspoons of Salt per day, Vitamins B1, B6, B12, Magnesium and Potassium.

The demands of this hunger strike are:

• IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT BY THE REGION OF ATTICA.

• ALL RESIDENTS OF PROSFYGIKA TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES, IN THE PLACE AND AREA WHERE THEY LIVE AND HAVE ESTABLISHED SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ORGANICALT TIES.

• CONCRETE GUARANTEES TO BE GIVEN FOR THE RESTORATION OF PROSFYGIKA BY THE NON-PROFIT CIVIL LAW COMPANY “KATOIKOI KAI FILOI PROSFYGIKON L. ALEXANDRAS NON PROFIT CIVIL LAW COMPANY” WITH ITS OWN SELF-FINANCING! – NO PUBLIC FUNDS FOR THE “REDEVELOPMENT” OF PROSFYGIKA!

Aristotelis Chantzis

Member and resident of the Community of Squatted Prosfygika, L. Alexandras

5/2/2026

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PRESS RELEASE 13/05/2026 FROM THE MEDICAL TEAM MONITORING THE HEALTH OF HUNGER STRIKER ARISTOTELIS CHANTZIS, who has been on hunger strike since February 5, 2026

Hunger striker Aristotelis Chantzis, who is on his 98th day of hunger strike, presents with low serum urea levels, hyperuricemia, and symptomatic hypoglycemia on blood tests, findings consistent with starvation. At the same time, new-onset transaminasemia indicative of liver dysfunction was observed in the context of prolonged starvation.
Clinically, both established paresthesias (numbness) in the lower extremities and diminished tendon reflexes are observed due to malnutrition and muscle atrophy, while on 04/03/2026 he already had a fainting episode.
Since the first weeks of the hunger strike, he has been experiencing progressively worsening episodes of orthostatic hypotension, dizziness with fatigue and tachycardia upon standing. Those episodes have worsened and are now significantly affecting his ability to function, in addition with sleep disorders that have been established. At the same time, persistent electrocardiographic abnormalities predisposing to fatal arrhythmias are observed daily.
He now experiences hypoglycemic episodes on a daily basis, while on Wednesday, April 15, medical intervention was required to treat a severe hypoglycemic episode.
He is already on his 98th day of hunger strike and is emaciated, weighing 45.3 Kg and having lost a total of 30.3 % of his initial body weight. Given the duration of the hunger strike, we warn of the risk of imminent irreversible damage to vital organs.
With every passing 24 hours, the hunger striker faces an ever-increasing cardiovascular and metabolic risk, with dangerous, life-threatening complications.

His demands reflect the collective demands of the Community:

• IMMEDIATE CANCELLATION OF THE CONTRACT BY THE REGION OF ATTICA.

• ALL RESIDENTS OF PROSFYGIKA TO REMAIN IN THEIR HOMES, IN THE PLACE AND AREA WHERE THEY LIVE AND HAVE ESTABLISHED SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AND ORGANICAL TIES.
• CONCRETE GUARANTEES TO BE GIVEN FOR THE RESTORATION OF PROSFYGIKA BY THE NON-PROFIT COVIL LAW COMPANY KNOWN AS “RESIDENTS AND FRIENDS OF PROSFYGIKA ALEXANDRAS AV.” USING ITS OWN FUNDING! – NOT A SINGLE EURO OF PUBLIC MONEY FOR THE “RESTORATION” OF PROSFYGIKA!

The hunger has declared that he does not intend to end his hunger strike despite the health risks, until his demands are met.
After 98 days of a hunger strike and given the progressively worsening condition of his health, everyone involved is to be held accountable for the imminent complications or even a fatal outcome, especially the Regional Administration of Attica. The cover-up of the hunger strike by the majority of the media, as well as the criminal silence of the government, parliamentary political forces, and the relevant authorities, are all complicit in driving the hunger striker to his death.
The City Council’s proposal and decision on April 20 to investigate the legality of safeguarding the interests of the Municipality of Athens and to hold consultations with residents until the completion of this process, condemns the hunger striker to death through vague and time-consuming procedures. At the same time, Nikos Chardalias statements about “plenty of time” for and for finding a solution deliberately ignore the fact that a person is already in an advanced stage of a hunger strike, which also constitutes a death sentence.
Amnesty International Greece stated in an announcement on 27 April 2026 that it holds the Region of Attica responsible for violating the fundamental and constitutionally protected human rights of the more than 400 residents living in Prosfygika on Alexandras Avenue. It urgently calls, in light of the critical health condition of resident and Community member Aristotelis Chantzis, for the immediate suspension of the Region of Attica’s plans, as expressed through Decision No. 864/16-6-2025. Amnesty International confirms that the continuation and implementation of this illegal plan by the Region of Attica clearly entails unlawful forced evictions of Community residents, which, as the announcement states, constitute a blatant violation of the right to adequate housing, among other affected human rights.
https://www.amnesty.gr/news/press/article/30730/i-diethnis-amnistia-kalei-na-pagosoyn-ta-shedia-anagkastikis-exosis-tis
Group of Solidarian Doctors
Healh Structure of the Community of Squatted Prosfygika, Alexandras Av.