Parents of hunger striker appeal

Simon Chapman was with anti-capitalist protesters

The parents of a anti-capitalism campaigner on hunger strike in a Greek prison have appealed for his release.

Simon Chapman, 30, from Basildon, Essex, is facing a 25-year prison sentence for a crime he says he did not commit.

Mr Chapman was demonstrating with anti-capitalism protesters at the European Union summit in Thessaloniki in June, when he was arrested.

He was later charged with possessing Molotov cocktails, an axe and a hammer.

But Mr Chapman claims they were planted on him by the police, and says he has video evidence to prove it.

On Thursday his parents Brian and Jacky Chapman issued a statement appealing for photographic evidence to be considered by the Greek justice system.

We are now extremely concerned for his mental and physical health Brian and Jacky Chapman

"Simon has never been, and is not now, a violent person and is completely innocent of these charges," they said in a statement.

"He is incapable of this violence of which he is accused and must be released immediately

"He did not go to Greece to be involved in any trouble which would keep him away from home.

"He was working in the City of London as a graphic designer, and his father had been diagnosed as having leukaemia, so he wanted to be with his family.

"Our son Simon marched peacefully at a demonstration during the EU summit in Thessaloniki on 21 June 2003 as a way to voice his deep concerns about the continued globalisation.

"Simon is feeling so desperate at his situation that he has been on hunger strike since Sunday, 5 October 2003.

"We are now extremely concerned for his mental and physical health."