The prolonged detention of an anarchist accused of being a member of the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire urban guerrilla group prompted a row between New Democracy and SYRIZA Wednesday.

Costas Sakkas, 29, has been on hunger strike since June 4 to protest the fact he has been held in detention for two-and-a-half years, when the maximum the law allows for pretrial custody is 18 months. Sakkas was arrested in December 2010 but two months before his custody was due to end, he was charged for a different offense and remanded for that.

A doctor who examined Sakkas this week said he had lost 10 kilos and was in danger of suffering permanent damage to his health if he did not end his hunger strike very soon. Sakkas denies any role in the Conspiracy of the Cells of Fire.

SYRIZA said Sakkas, who has appealed for release, was the victim of an “unconstitutional” decision that amounted to “judicial arbitrariness” and a breach of his human rights.

“SYRIZA should forget the lessons in democracy and its instructions to the judiciary on how to protect terrorism suspects,” responded New Democracy. “It should respect institutions, even this one time, and stop defending all kinds of people accused of anarchy and terrorism.”