Since March 22, 2021,
a group of anarchists,
imprisoned in four Chilean prisons,
have been on hunger strike against
the repressive policies of the Chilean state.
The central demand is the repeal of the latest modifications made to law 321,
which since 1925 has regulated access to so-called parole
in the territory dominated by the Chilean state.
In general terms,
with these modifications,
parole, which used to be a right for all prisoners,
has become a benefit.
The criteria for eligibility have been further tightened,
including the requirement of excellent conduct of the prisoner,
as assessed by the state's own agents,
and the increase to the need to serve two thirds of the sentence behind bars
and no longer half the time, as was previously the case.
As if this were not enough,
the changes in the law were approved retroactively,
that is,
all people convicted even before its approval
will now be subject to it.
As parole is no longer a right, but a benefit,
as an act of grace and benevolence from the authorities,
this creates, in practice, a kind of veiled life imprisonment,
which will mainly affect people arrested
in the context of social war and permanent insurrection.
The mobilization and the hunger strike also demand
the immediate release of Marcelo Villarroel,
a fellow dissident who has already spent more than 25 years behind bars.
Before, he could have been paroled in 2019,
but with the change in Decree Law 321
the date was changed to 2036.
In addition, he is currently
the only prisoner held behind bars
who has been convicted by the military justice system.
Unconditional complicity and solidarity
with the prisoners on hunger strike in Chilean prisons!
For the revocation of the latest modifications in Decree Law 321!
Immediate freedom for Marcelo Villarroel!
Solidarity across state borders
and prison walls!
No one is left behind!