On Friday, 10 March we call on everyone to show solidarity with Alfredo Cospito who has been on hunger strike since 22 October 2022 demanding the abolition of solitary confinement (Regime 41bis) and a fair trial.
Alfredo has been in prison for 10 years for militant protests against the capitalist system that were not directed against human lives. The Italian state now wants to extend the charges and apply the controversial paragraph 41 bis, i.e. to interpret the action previously judged as an attack, now as an act of terrorism. This would significantly increase the sentence, up to life without parole. Alfredo opposes this extension of his sentence and consistently rejects the application of 41bis, previously known as the mafia paragraph, to anarchists and other political and social movements.
His health condition after more than 150 days on hunger strike is becoming increasingly critical. With a height of 1.91 m, he weighs only 70 kilos.
He has stopped taking vitamins and potassium and only takes water, sugar and salt. He is weak and suffers from stomach cramps. With only sugar and salt, without additional vitamins, his death will probably come very quickly.
We have a lot of experience with this from the prison resistances in Turkey.
We must stand up for Alfredo Cospito.
Only our solidarity can prevent his death.
But even if we do not manage to stop his death. We should send a clear signal of solidarity to prevent paragraphs like 41bis from being legitimised as a weapon against political, social resistance of any kind.
On 24 February, Alfredo Cospito appealed against the solitary confinement, but the appeal court dismissed the case. This was a death sentence.
Alfredo Cospito continues the hunger strike and says in no uncertain terms: “I am ready to die. If, through my death, solitary confinement is discussed publicly and 750 people suffering from this solitary confinement are transferred to normal confinement conditions as a result.”
Cospito is determined. He prefers to sacrifice his life than to make a dirty deal with the government and betray his ideals. We know this heroic practice of hunger strike all too well from the political prisoners in Turkey.
Their hunger strike, what they call a death fast, is also mainly about demanding justice and a fair trial. This is exactly what Alfredo Cospito’s hunger strike is about: lifting isolation.
For this, 122 prisoners and relatives sacrificed their lives in the death fast that lasted for 7 years in Turkey (between 2000-2007). Just as Alfredo is prepared to sacrifice his life today.
Because incommunicado detention is inhumane and torture.
Because no human being can live for years or even for life under these conditions.
That is why we understand Alfredo Cospito’s demand and struggle very well.
We are absolutely in solidarity with Alfredo Cospito.
And we call on everyone, regardless of whether they are anarchist, anti-Fa, M-L, Maoist, etc to show solidarity with Alfredo Cospito.
We call for an International Day of Action on Friday, 10 March:
- 1-) A Twitter storm to the Italian authorities.
- 2-) Solidarity hunger strikes
- 3-) Solidarity video messages
- 4-) Rally in front of the Italian embassy
- 5-) Let’s write letters and postcards to Alfredo Cospito.
Postal address:
Alfredo Cospito, Milano Opera Prison, Via Camporgnago, 40, 20090 Milan
Anti-Imperialist Front
