Furlough

Dimitris Koufodinas, a convicted terrorist and member of Greece's most notorious terrorist group, 17 November, has returned to prison after a 48-hour furlough, his second overall.

Koufodinas, 60, arrived at Athens's Korydallos prison about 30 minutes before the 48 hours expired, accompanied by his wife and son. He greeted the waiting media but made no statement.

November 17 hitman Dimitris Koufodinas, who is serving 11 life sentences for his role in the extreme-left terrorist group, began a two-day furlough from prison on Friday, his second in three months.

He was greeted outside Athens's maximum-security Korydallos Prison on Friday morning by his partner, his son and a group of applauding supporters and friends.

Prosecutors will no longer be able to veto prisoners' right to furlough, according to a draft bill seeking to reform the country's prison rules.

The bill, which is expected to be put to a vote in Parliament in the next few weeks, also stipulates that furloughs will have a longer duration and will be granted earlier.

Despite the outcry over the release from prison on Thursday of November 17 terror group hitman Dimitris Koufodinas on a two-day furlough, the government appeared defiant on Friday, while critics at home and abroad expressed concern that he may break the terms of his release, as other terrorists have done in the past, and not return to prison as scheduled on Saturday. 

The decision to grant a 48-hour furlough to convicted November 17 terrorist Dimitris Koufodinas was deplored on Thursday by US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt who said it dishonors the memory of the victims and their families.

A growing number of inmates at Athens's high-security Kordyallos Prison, including members of the urban guerrilla group Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire, are exercising their right to pursue higher education, as authorities seek to determine whether the trend is part of a plan to break out of the facility, Kathimerini understands.

Police in Thessaloniki on Wednesday detained a 34-year-old prison guard who allegedly pocketed a 5,000-euro bribe from an inmate in exchange for a promise to help arrange a nine-day furlough for the prisoner.

Authorities were tipped off about the planned exchange and internal affairs officers intercepted the handover, according to sources.