Alfredo Cospito, a 55-year-old
anarchist leader on a hunger strike for 107 days against the
harsh mafia-style 41 bis prison regime he is being held under,
said Friday he would not be force fed if his conditions worsens
to the extent he becomes unconscious, and also refused a
psychiatric assessment.
Informal anarchist Federation (FAI) leader Cospito, who is
serving 30 years for two terror attacks, sent a statement to the
penitentiary authority DAP in which he expressed his will not to
be force-fed, should his condition worsen to such an extent that
he loses consciousness.
It is believed to be the first time a prisoner on hunger strike
has made such a declaration.
There will be several legal profiles to be assessed, therefore,
in case it comes to a critical situation from the health point
of view, legal sources said.
Cospito's lawyer said two days ago he was at a critical
threshold having lost over 45kg on his hunger strike, but the
prisoner said Thursday he would keep up his campaign to get 41
bis abolished for all, including mafiosi, even if there were to
be irreparable consequences.
Cospito was moved earlier this week from a Sardinian jail to
Milan's Opera Prison where better medical facilities are
available.
In refusing the psychiatric evaluation, Cospito said he was in
full possession of his faculties despite his apparent desire to
self harm.
He repeated, to those who have had the opportunity to meet him
in recent hours like Left/Green MP Ilaria Cucchi, whose brother
died in prison after a beating in 2009, that he has 'no
intention' of interrupting his form of protest.
What worries the prison doctors, given his condition, is the
possible onset of heart disease, they said.
On Thursday, prison sources said, some books he had with him
were returned to him, after appropriate checks.
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