Korydallos Prison Complex is the main prison of Greece, housing both maximum-security men and women. It is located in Korydallos, Athens. Famous detainees include the November 17 terrorist members. Korydallos prison was also used as the place for the Greek junta trials in 1975. In November 1995, there was a massive riot, with inmates taking control of the prison for several days in a "battle" with prison guards and police. Earlier in 1990, the inmates of Korydalos took over the entire complex for 28 days. The seizure of the complex was related to prison conditions and criminal justice reform. After the 28 day standoff, Justice officials bent to a majority of the demands the prisoners made and concessions were given in favor of the inmates. Nikolaos Dertilis was the last remaining junta member in jail. He died 28 January 2013 at the age of 94. Korydallos prison attracted attention after inmate Vasilis Paleokostas escaped with a rented helicopter, twice. The prison gained publicity when Andrew Symeou, a British national, was held on remand in 2010. Symeou was falsely accused of murder and extradited to Greece on a European Arrest Warrant, but a Coroners court inquest found the criminal investigation against Symeou to be fabricated.
Conditions of detention
and other human rights bodies such as the Committee for the Prevention of Torture have repeatedly expressed concern about the prison for its overcrowding and inhumane treatment of detainees. In 2007, a special committeecomposed of physicians of the Division of Health Inspections of the Prefecture of Piraeus and Piraeus Medical Association has reported that the hospital and the mental clinic of the prison operate without even the minimum conditions of hygiene, with aging infrastructure and big shortages in medical and nursing staff. The Hellenic Parliament has vowed to improve conditions. Since May 2008 the women prisoners section has been transferred to Thiva prison complex, following many years of protests and complaints to the government by the Korydallos municipality and inhabitants. Nowadays only one of the three women prison section hosts women under trial. Demolition works have commenced, for the two out of the three sections, on January 2010 and will be completed at the end of June 2010 leaving free space of to be used as a park.
