Greek Supreme Court Rules Convicted Terrorist Can Get Another Prison Furlough

The Greek Supreme Court (Areios Pagos) on Thursday overturned a ruling blocking convicted November 17 terrorist Dimitris Koufontinas from receiving another furlough from jail.
A section of the Supreme Court said that even prisoners sentenced to multiple life sentences have the right to receive regular furloughs.
The Misdemeanours Council of Volos, where Koufontinas is serving his sentence, originally ruled that the terrorist could not receive any further exit passes from prison.
While Koufontinas went on hunger strike in protest of the ruling, Supreme Court prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou filed an injunction arguing that he had fulfilled all conditions for the furlough.
Following the Supreme Court ruling, the case file will return to Volos’ Council. The body, which will be composed of different members than last time, will give the final word on whether the terrorist fulfills both formal and substantive conditions for a several-day-long furlough.
Koufontinas is serving eleven life terms for his role as the main hitman for the November 17 group, which killed 23 people in the years between 1975-2000.
Greece’s main opposition New Democracy (ND) Party on Thursday reiterated its promise that, if elected to power, it will amend a law granting prison leaves to convicted terrorists.
“ND will not comment on today’s judicial decision. It will remind citizens, however, that if they show their trust to the party, it will immediately change the law for furloughs granted today even to unrepentant murderers,” ND declared in a press release.