In what he calls his “hasty and necessary first statement,” Romanos declares: “Of the choices I made with all my soul, at great cost and with unyielding knees, I do not surrender even a millimetre. But now, I am not in prison because I made conscious choices that carried corresponding risks. On the contrary, my life is being sold as a political product.”

“A fabricated indictment”

Romanos describes the charges against him as baseless and exaggerated. He claims they follow a pattern established by the anti-terrorism law, which he argues creates a category of individuals presumed guilty until proven innocent. “The indictment arises abusively, creating more questions than answers,” he writes, adding that the system’s language has already preordained his conviction.

He characterises his experience as one of profound exploitation: “I became a wandering loot for all kinds of exploitation, an exhibit in the showcases of the museums of lies and oblivion. With the ‘terrorist’ label hanging in the annex—for observation by usually naive, but mostly frightened and peaceful visitors.”

A life defined by incarceration

Romanos reflects on the toll of his years in confinement, stating that he has spent half of his adult life in prison. He expresses his determination not to accept his current pretrial detention without resistance: “I will not accept without a fight this very unfair statistic, consisting of so much pain and immeasurable loneliness, to cover me in cement and bars.”

He reiterates that he will fight the charges both legally and politically, declaring, “The fight for my vindication and my definitive release from this unjust indictment now begins.”

A plea for justice

Romanos criticises what he sees as the commodification of his life for political gain: “Instead of being imprisoned for conscious choices that carried risks, my life is now being sold as a political product in the communication supermarket, with the price of the bag charged to me.” He decries the ordeal of being forced to prove his innocence, likening it to “being called upon to prove that I am not an elephant.”

He acknowledges the personal toll of the ordeal, describing the pain and destruction inflicted on his family and personal relationships. Yet, Romanos remains resolute in his commitment to justice, ending his letter with a heartfelt thank you to those who have supported him.

Closing with Cavafy

Romanos concludes his letter with an excerpt from Constantine Cavafy’s poem Thermopylae, honouring those who stand steadfast in their principles, even in the face of betrayal and inevitable challenges.

Honor is due to those who are keeping watch,
Sentinels guarding their own Thermopylae;
Never distracted from what is right to do,
And right to be; in all things virtuous,
But never so hardened by virtue as not to be
Compassionate, available to pity;
Generous if they’re rich, but generous too,
Doing whatever they can, if they are poor;
Always true to the truth, no matter what,
But never scornful of those who have to lie.
Even more honor is due when, keeping watch,
They see that the time will come when Ephialtes
Will tell the secret to the Medes and they
Will know the way to get in through the goat-path.

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