When: 12pm – 1:30pm, October 7
Where: the United States Consulate at 1155 rue St-Alexandre (metro
Place des Arts)
For three weeks in July, thousands of prisoners in the long-term
isolation unit at Pelican Bay and other prisons in California went
on hunger strike to try to win some modest improvements to their
conditions. The hungerstrike was suspended when the California
Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) agreed to
address the prisoners demands, providing a few minor concessions
immediately as a gesture of good faith.
Unfortunately, CDCR was operating in bad faith, and has since put
out lies about what had been agreed to, threatened prisoners with
retaliation, and conducted a public relations campaign defending
torture in its prisons.
As a result, as of Monday, September 26, many prisoners have
resumed their strike. Last week, over 11,000 prisoners refused
food. CDCR has responded by banning visits, barring lawyers, and
threatening prisons with disciplinary reprisals.
The men in Pelican Bay's Security Housing Unit are held in their
cells, alone, 22½-24 hours per day, they are served unsanitary and
unwholesome food, punished collectively for the actions of
individuals, and routinely - and without reason - denied access to
programs and amenities which are considered standard in similar
facilities in other states and at the federal level.
Solitary confinement has been shown to have serious effects of
one’s physical and psychological health after even a small period
of time – many of the California prisoners have spent decades
enduring such conditions.
This second strike promises to be more brutal than the first. CDCR
has promised to respond more viciously to suppress the strike.
Outside support is needed now more than ever!
To find out more, get in touch:
Web: contrelesprisons.blogspot.com
Email: montrealcontreprisons@gmail.com
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