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Feb 1, 22

In Contempt #13: Hunger Strikes Spread; Eric King’s Mail Ban Ends; Florida Prisoners Launch Sit-In; Arrests in Atlanta

photo: Radical Graffiti

We’ve got a jam packed installment of In Contempt this month! From updates on political prisoners, George Floyd uprising defendants, to news of prisoner resistance across the so-called US, along with birthdays, news, and ways to support those facing repression.

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s dive in!

Political Prisoner News

There’s some big news this month from anarchist political prisoner Eric King, whose mail ban has finally been lifted after spending all of 2021 cut off from the outside world. Eric’s support crew write:

He would love to hear from people. It has been quite some time since he was able to receive letters from people outside his immediate family. (We have no idea whether there will be another mail ban). Please do not talk about his case and be mindful, that all letters are read by prison officials and potentially scanned/saved.

Write:

Eric King #27090-045
FCI Englewood
9595 West Quincy Avenue
Littleton, CO 80123

Eric has a wishlist for books. You can order books for him here. Also, Eric’s trial starts March 14th, so make sure you mark you calendars.

February 1st will see an international forum to campaign in support of Mumia Abu-Jamal and other US-held political prisoners. The forum is responding to a call from the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa, the largest union in South Africa, and seems to be endorsed by Unite, one of the largest unions in the UK, among others. You can find out more at the International Workers Action to Free Anti-Racist Political Prisoners facebook page.

Supporters of indigenous political prisoner Oso Blanco recently organized a call-in in support of religious rights at USP Victorville, after staff there destroyed a sacred sweat lodge. A new website has been created in support of the Virgin Island 3, aiming to draw more attention to their case.

The Anarchist Black Cross Federation have posted updates on the ongoing campaign to free Sundiata Acoli, who turned 85 in January, and for Kamau Sadiki, who has his 68th birthday coming up in February, which will be marked by an online event.

Anti-Chevron political prisoner and Indigenous rights attorney Steven Donziger was released from prison in December to serve the rest of his sentence under house arrest. Long-term Native American political prisoner Leonard Peltier has now tested positive for COVID-19. Shortly before his positive test, he had released a new statement, detailing how the impact of COVID lockdowns has made USP Coleman into an even bleaker and more unbearable environment. The campaign to free Fidencio Aldama, an indigenous Yaqui political prisoner held by the Mexican state, has published an update on his ongoing appeal against his conviction. Long-time eco-anarchist prisoner Marius Mason also just had a birthday, so be sure to send him some love!

Things are also heating up in the fight to defend the Atlanta forest – with police already making several arrests as actions remain ongoing. You can donate to the support fund here. A noise demonstration outside of the jail was also recently held in support of several people who were arrested defending the forest.

Rounding off this section, Mongoose Distro has just published a new article by antifascist prisoner Dan Baker, “In Pursuit of Permanent Autonomous Zones.”

Hunger Strikes

January has seen at least three significant hunger strikes. Outlive Them NYC has issued a statement in support of hunger strikers on Rikers Island and the Santa Rita Jail in California. You can listen to a message recorded by the Rikers hunger strikers here, and read further coverage from the New York Times, as well as an article on the situation from former antifascist political prisoner David Campbell, who helped organize a previous strike at Rikers during his time there.

Supporters of the Santa Rita Jail strike have set up a blog documenting the struggle there, and It’s Going Down has an audio interview with one of the strikers, while Oakland Abolition and Solidarity recently organized a phone zap in support of their demands. They’ve also published a message of solidarity from the Santa Rita strikers to those held at Rikers.

While the Rikers and Santa Rita jail strikes have been able to attract a decent amount of attention and support, a third hunger strike, happening out in rural Texas, has had less coverage.

Keri Blakinger, a journalist covering the Texas prison system, was able to get confirmation from prison officials that the strike was ongoing at the Memorial Unit (formerly Darrington), and the site Texas Letters has published the text of the strikers’ declaration and demands. According to a letter received by the End Ad Seg TX facebook page, at least 11 prisoners were still on hunger strike on January 13th, almost two weeks into the strike.

Be sure to also check out this roundup from Perilous Chronicle of recent actions in January inside prisons, jails and detention facilities.

Current Fundraisers

A legal defense fundraiser has been set up in support of a comrade from NYC facing charges after a confrontation with the far-Right in November.

Friends of Amy Buckley, a recently-released prisoner who was involved in organizing in the Mississippi prison system, are fundraising for her post-release needs. You can read about some of Amy’s experiences in prison in an article she wrote for the SF Bay View.

Malik, a prisoner from the George Floyd 2020 uprising in Portland is fundraising to help his family cover costs. Another Portland area prisoner, Simona Bearcut, who is going to trial in early February, can be supported here.

In North Carolina, another post-release fundraiser has been set up for Shawn Sutton, a prisoner from 2020 uprising who is approaching their release date, and Blue Ridge ABC are fundraising for their bail and legal solidarity fund.

Former political prisoner Zolo Azania is also fundraising for his ongoing living costs.

General Prison News

A petition has been started in support of prisoners held at the Bertie Correctional Institution in North Carolina.

Michigan Abolition and Prisoner Solidarity have shared a message from a Michigan prisoner on how the system is enabling another COVID outbreak there.

Florida prisoners have held a “sit-down” protest, effectively a strike, in response to their conditions.  As this column goes to print, a new call has just been received for a phone and email zap in support of those held at Florida State Prison.

Recently released statistics have shown a huge increase in the prison death rate from 2019 to 2020, showing that total deaths in prison went up sharply even as the absolute size of the prison population was declining, a story ignored by most of the media.

An update has been published on Vaughn 17 defendant Jarreau “Ruk” Ayers, who is continuing a legal battle with the State of Delaware for his freedom and against the retaliation he’s been subjected to. Anarchist prisoner Michael Kimble has been denied parole by the viciously harsh Alabama Parole Board.

Abolitionist Media Projects

Issue #11 of Fire Ant zine has been released, with contributions from Jennifer Rose, Pepe, Thomas Meyer-Falk, Eric King, and Sean Swain. Mongoose Distro has recently published a new article from Julio “Comrade Z” Zuniga on contaminated water at the Memorial Unit prison in Texas, along with a new mini-zine written by prisoners from the Illinois system. The San Francisco Bay View has published a new article by Michigan anarchist prisoner Rand Gould, on the harm caused by COVID outbreaks and denial of parole in the Michigan system.

Recent episodes of Kite Line radio have included one focused on the effects of COVID on California prisoners, health issues in Indiana women’s prison, the ways that the prison system disguises itself and the harm it causes, and Ruth Wilson Gilmore and James Kilgore discussing “e-carceration”, or the use of electronic monitoring to turn the home into a prison.

International

In international news, It’s Going Down has recently published interviews on the “Comrades” conspiracy case in Greece and repression in Belarus. Along with the interview, Belarus Anarchist Black Cross continue to produce regular monthly updates, and have a new poster listing current anarchist and antifascist political prisoners, as well as a statement on the situation of Dzmitry Dubovski, who was coerced into testifying against his codefendants under torture.

In the UK, prosecutions are ongoing following the Bristol ‘Kill the Bill’ riot, with more defendants continuing to be sentenced, and another trial starting at the end of January. Also in Bristol, the Colston 4 case, where defendants were accused of toppling a slavetrader’s statue, has ended in all defendants being acquitted. Palestine solidarity activists taking direct action against the arms trade have also seen two cases ending with charges being dropped or thrown out in recent weeks.

Bristol anarchist prisoner Toby Shone has also had his case featured on It’s Going Down recently, and since then the site Dark Nights has published an update on the attempt to impose a “Serious Crime Prevention Order” against him, while the local mainstream media has covered the story of him being handcuffed while inside an MRI scanner.

Uprising Defendants

Everyone should support the defendants facing charges related to their alleged participation in the George Floyd uprising – this list of our imprisoned comrades needs to be getting shorter, not longer. See Uprising Support for more info, and check out the Antirepression PDX site for updates from Portland cases. The status of pre-trial defendants changes frequently, but to the best of our knowledge they currently include:

Isaiah Willoughby 49960-086
FCI Mendota
P.O. Box 9
Mendota, CA 93640

Kelly Jackson 50288-086
FCI Sheridan
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. BOX 5000
Sheridan, OR 97378

Tyre Means 49981-086
USP Beaumont
PO BOX 26030
Beaumont, TX 77720

Malik Muhammad #825999
11540 NE Inverness Dr.
FCI Sheridan
Federal Correctional Institution
PO Box 5000
Sheridan, OR 97378

Montez Lee
Sherburne County Jail
13880 Business Center Dr. NW
Suite 200
Elk River, MN 55330-1692

Matthew White #21434-041
USP McCreary
P.O. Box 3000
Pine Knot, KY 42635

Matthew Rupert #55013-424
USP McCreary
P.O. Box 3000
Pine Knot, KY 42635

José Felan
Sherburne County Jail
13880 Business Center Dr.
NW Suite 200 Elk River, MN 55330-1692

Branden Wolf #22425-041
FCI Oxford
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. BOX 1000
Oxford, WI  53952

Dylan Robinson 45802-013
USP Leavenworth
P.O. BOX 1000
LEAVENWORTH, KS  66048

David Elmakayes 77782-066
FDC Philadelphia
PO BOX 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

You can donate to David’s legal funds here.

Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal 70002-066
FDC Philadelphia
PO BOX 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Andrew Augustyniak-Duncan
Updated address pending

Christopher West 04670-509
USP Canaan
U.S. Penitentiary
P.O. Box 300
Waymart, PA 18472

You can also buy fundraiser clothing for Christopher “Brother Hush” West here.

Ellie Brett 14822509
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

John Wade 14762509
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

Alvin Joseph 99529156 (POSTCARDS ONLY)
Gwinnett Co Jail
2900 University Parkway
Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Develcho Waller 73223019
Updated address pending

Joseph Jett 1910905 (POSTCARDS ONLY)
Clayton County Jail
9157 Tara Boulevard
Jonesboro, GA 30250

Shamar Betts 22080-043
FCI Hazelton Federal Correction Inst.
P.O. Box 5000
Bruceton Mills, WV  26525

Andrew Garcia-Smith 02324-509
FCI Williamsburg
PO Box 340
Salters, SC 29590

Kyree Robertson #597000
Parnall Correctional Facility
1780 E. Parnall Rd.
Jackson, MI 49201

Chase Vladimir Spencer
Kent County Correctional Facility
703 Ball Avenue NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49503

Upcoming Birthdays

Veronza Bowers

Veronza Bowers Jr. is a former Black Panther Party member framed for the murder of a U.S. Park Ranger. He is being illegally held past his 30 year sentence, making him one of the longest-held political prisoners in U.S. History.

The Federal system uses Corrlinks, a system where a prisoner must send a request to connect to someone on the outside before they can exchange emails, so if you’re not already connected to Veronza then you’re best off just sending him a card or a letter.

Birthday: February 4

Address:

Veronza Bowers, Jr. #35316-136
FMC Butner Medium II
P.O. Box 1600
Butner, NC 27509
United States

Deric Forney

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While Deric was acquitted in court of all charges in relation to the uprising, he is facing continued retaliation, as he has been moved out of state to Pennsylvania, where many Vaughn defendants are being held on lockdown indefinitely (via placement on PA’s Restricted Release List) on vague and questionable grounds. Years after the uprising, these prisoners are still being abused for staying in solidarity with one another against the state.

Pennsylvania uses Connect Network/GTL, so you can contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: Pennsylvania, Facility: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections”, going into the “messaging” service, and then adding him as a contact by searching his name or “NS2698”.

Birthday: February 6

Address:

Smart Communications / PA DOC
Deric Forney – NS2698
SCI Coal Township
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL, 33733

Kamau Sadiki (Freddie Hilton)

Kamau Sadiki is a former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, who was convicted of a 30-year old murder case of a Fulton County Police Officer found shot to death in his car outside a service station. At his trial, the judge ruled that statements by a witness who heard other people discussing their participation in the shooting, and stated that he had nothing to do with it, could not be accepted as evidence. The state recently attempted to amputate his foot despite this not being medically necessary, but were forced to back off by outside solidarity. An online event will be held to celebrate Kamau’s 68th birthday.

Georgia uses Jpay, so you should be able to send him a message by going to jpay.com, clicking “inmate search”, then selecting “State: Georgia, Inmate ID: 0001150688”.

Birthday: February 19

Address:

Freddie Hilton #0001150688 (address card to Kamau, envelope to Freddie)
Augusta State Medical Prison
Bldg 13A-2 E7
3001 Gordon Highway
Grovetown, GA 30813
United States

Luis Sierra (Abdul-Haqq El-Qadeer)

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While the state has now dropped its attempts to criminalize Luis in relation to the uprising, Vaughn defendants continue to face retaliation. Luis is also a contributor to “Live from the Trenches,” the Vaughn 17 zine.

Delaware appears not to have an inmate email system.

Birthday: February 19

Address:

Luis Sierra #00455723
James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
1181 Paddock Rd
Smyrna, DE 19977

Byron Shane “Oso Blanco” Chubbuck

Also known as “Robin the Hood,” Oso Blanco is serving 80 years for bank robberies to raise funds for the Zapatista rebellion in Chiapas, along with additional charges for escape and resisting the FBI.

The Federal system uses Corrlinks, a system where a prisoner must send a request to connect to someone on the outside before they can exchange emails, so if you’re not already connected to Oso then you’re best off just sending him a card or a letter.

Birthday: February 26

Address:

Oso Blanco (Address envelope to Byron Chubbuck, address card to Oso Blanco)
#07909-051
USP Victorville
Post Office Box 3900
Adelanto, California 92301

Aleksei Golovko

Aleksei Golovko was detained on 5 March 2021 under a criminal case against the anarchist movement from Brest region. ABC Belarus add “We are unaware of his political views, but since he is detained under the anarchists’ case, we consider it important to support him in every possible way.”

Belarusian prisons will usually only accept letters in Belarusian or Russian, so if you don’t speak one of those languages your best bet is to email your message to belarus_abc(AT)riseup.net or use this online form and they should be able to translate your greetings and pass them on.

Birthday: February 26

Address:

(Belarusian or Russian letters only – use this form for English messages)

SIZO-1, ul. Volodarskogo 2, Minsk, 220030
Aleksei Igorevich Golovko

Ana Belen Montes

Ana Belen Montes was a Pentagon intelligence analyst who, opposed to the plans of aggression against Cuba being developed, felt morally obliged to alert the Cuban government of said plans. Her actions were uncovered and she was accused of high treason, a crime punishable by death. She was forced to negotiate with the prosecution and to plead guilty to espionage on behalf of Cuba. In 2002, she was sentenced to 25 years in prison, a sentence she has been serving under extreme and inhumane isolation. As part of her conditions of severe isolation, she is only allowed to receive letters from 20 specific people, but she can receive books sent directly from bookstores or publishers. She recently beat breast cancer while imprisoned.

Birthday: February 27

Address:

As above, please note that she can’t receive normal mail, just books from publishers or bookstores.

Ana Belen Montes #25037-016
FMC Carswell
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127
United States

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A monthly report on prison rebels, State repression, and news from an abolitionist perspective.

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