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Jun 2, 24
Filed under: Featured, In Contempt
In this column, we present our monthly roundup of political prisoner, prison rebel, and repression news, happenings, announcements, action and analysis. Packed in as always are updates, fundraisers, and birthdays.
There’s a lot happening, so let’s dive right in!
June 11th: International Day of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners
The annual day of solidarity with Marius Mason and all long-term anarchist prisoners is coming up. You can read the 2024 call here, as well as a new statement from Marius, and check the June 11 site for reports from events as they’re sent in. Events include a letter writing event on June 2 in Olympia, WA, Portland, OR, Cincinnati, OH, and a June 11 event in Chicago. See a full list of events here.
Call for J25: Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners
A call has gone out for July 25th, the international day of solidarity with antifascist prisoners. From the call:
The July 25th International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners originated in 2014 as a Day of Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman, an Australian man who served 13-years in prison in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men from an attack by fascist football hooligans. In 2015, J25 expanded into a global day of solidarity with all antifascists facing State repression. The friends and comrades we are celebrating on J25 were on the frontlines of this fight against fascism and the far-Right, and we will not forget them behind prison walls as we continue the struggle for liberation.
As revolutionary antifascists, we believe that building movements of defense and solidarity with those locked behind the prison walls is fundamental in the three-way fight against both the far-right and the State. This July 25th, we call on antifascists worldwide to take part in the International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners!
More info can be found here.
Political Prisoner News
Long-term Black Liberation/Black Panther prisoner Veronza Bowers is now free, having been held in prison for around 50 years. You can donate to his release funds here.
Long-term indigenous political prisoner Leonard Peltier is preparing for an upcoming parole hearing on June 10th, and also dealing with serious health issues at the age of 80. His support crew are asking for people to hold a worldwide prayer/good energy day on June 9th, the day before his hearing.
There’s a call for people to donate to support the family of indigenous anarchist political prisoner Oso Blanco while they recover from a devastating fire.
Firestorm Books recently hosted an important panel event bringing together former political prisoners Eric King, Herman Bell, David Gilbert and Susan Rosenberg, which you can watch online here. A follow-up event will be held on June 15th, again with Eric King facilitating a panel of Ray Luc Levasseur, Ashanti Alston and Anne Hansen. You can now find all events and interviews connected to the Rattling the Cages book at their linktree.
Supporters of the Holy Land 5, Palestinian political prisoners held in the US, held a week of action to free them from May 20-27.
It’s Going Down has shared an update on the case of Mexican anarchist political prisoner Jorge “Yorch” Esquivel, along with a new letter from Yorch.
Chicano anarchist political prisoner Xinachtli’s support crew have sent out an alert to remind people that there’s currently no genuine social media accounts run by Xinachtli or his team. Xinachtli continues to prepare for an upcoming parole hearing, and you can contact his support crew at 2024xinachtlifreedomcampaign [at] gmail [dot] com to get involved.
Uprising Defendants, Stop Cop City and other Ongoing Cases
George Floyd Uprising prisoner Malik Muhammad has launched a hunger strike in response to being held in torturous conditions in solitary confinement. You can find more information about how to get involved in the phone zap to support Malik here.
May 19th saw the one-year anniversary of the raid that began the case against Peppy and Krystal in Pittsburgh, and so there’s a renewed call for people to write to Peppy while he’s held pre-trial.
A fundraiser gig was held for antifascist defendant Tall Can on May 18th in San Bernardino, and people are encouraged to write to him ahead of his upcoming birthday on June 8:
Jesse Cannon BX4822
Facility C
701 Scofield Ave
PO Box 6600
Wasco, CA 93280
Tucson Anti-Repression Committee are asking people to donate to the costs faced by the “Scottsdale Six”, six defendants facing heavy fines for an action targeting Nationwide Insurance for their involvement in the Cop City project. They ask people to donate through Venmo or Cashapp @blacklidgecc with the note “Scottsdale Six.” TARC are also selling “RICO the Raccoon” shirts to benefit the Arizona defendants.
The Guardian have published a report on the ongoing surveillance against opponents of Cop City, and Dissent Magazine has an article comparing the Stop Cop City cases to previous instances of repression such as the first Red Scare. A support site has been set up for Cop City defendant Priscilla, and the Weelaunee Arrest Fundraisers linktree collects all verified fundraisers for defendants.
The Appeal has a major report analyzing how prosecutors are charging arrests related to the ongoing Palestine solidarity protests. Police at UCLA carried out a mass arrest of 44 people and are charging the majority of them with conspiracy charges, while 11 people were arrested on Nakba Day in Knoxville.
The Canada Palestine Association have released a statement on the arrests of Palestine solidarity protestors in Canada, particularly Charlotte Kates, international coordinator of the Palestinian prisoner solidarity network Samidoun.
The online publication Scalawag has a new article on sexual abuse of women and girls in Texas prisons.
The FACE Act, designed to protect abortion clinics, continues to be used to criminalize people acting to defend access to abortion and take action against fake “crisis pregnancy centers,” such as Hannah Kamke, who has already pleaded guilty to a single disorderly conduct charge for graffiting a fake clinic and now has a new legal battle over the FACE Act charges. The pro-life group CompassCare is also attempting to tie Kamke to Jane’s Revenge, even though her graffiti simply read “LIARS” and did not reference Jane’s Revenge in any way.
Jailhouse Lawyers Speak
Jailhouse Lawyers Speak have put out a call for art to be displayed during Black August, their upcoming Shut Em Down demonstrations, and their JLS Housing Center. They say:
The JLS Housing Center is calling on you to submit your original artwork to be featured during Black August, the 2024 Shut ‘Em Down Demonstrations, and the very first 2025 JLS Housing Center Benefit Dinner. We want pieces that uplift the essence and importance of Black August, paying homage to the legacy of our Black revolutionary heroes.
All forms of artistic expression are welcome – whether it’s paintings, sculptures, photography, digital or mixed media. Your work will have the chance to be displayed in one of the three gallery rooms at the JLS Housing Center, allowing it to be seen by a diverse audience of comrades, activists, and community members.
After the events, you can choose to have your artwork returned to you or have it proudly showcased in the Black August gallery at the JLS Housing Center. We encourage artists of all ages and walks of life to share your creativity and vision with a wider community and be a part of a powerful cultural celebration.
To submit your original artwork, please send your pieces to Jailhouse Lawyers Speak, PO Box 673, Mercer, PA 16137 by July 25, 2024 or contact [email protected] for questions and more info. We are eager to witness your submissions and deeply grateful for your involvement in this vital project to honor Black August.
Thank you for your solidarity, and we can’t wait to see your art illuminate the walls of the JLS Housing Center!
Alabama Prison Struggles
Outside supporters continue to mobilize on a regular basis in solidarity with the Free Alabama Movement’s call to shut down the Alabama prison system. Daily protests were held on Thursday 2nd, Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th May at St Clair Prison, and labor movement groups such as the Union of Southern Service Workers and the Teamsters LGBTQ caucus have also joined in protests at St Clair.
You can contact outside organizers involved in supporting the movement by checking out Tennessee Student Solidarity Network on instagram or emailing tnstudentsolidaritynetwork [at] gmail.com.
The Final Straw Radio also recently interviewed Alabama prisoner Bernard Jemison at Holman Prison.
General Prison News and Abolitionist Media Updates
A phone zap has recently been organized for Luis Sierra/Abdul al-Haqq of the Vaughn 17, who has recently been transferred from Delaware to Arizona and been given bogus charges over a shelf in his cell.
Other members of the Vaughn 17 continue organizing as the Rebellious Hearts collective, who now have a full website. You can find them on instagram at _rebellious_hearts and freevaughn17, where they share important content such as a message for the Palestine solidarity encampments from Jarreau “Ruk” Ayers. Another prisoner at Vaughn, Kendall Smith, was recently interviewed by Prison Riot Radio.
IDOC Watch have organized a phone zap for a trans woman held in solitary confinement at Wabash Valley CF, a men’s prison. Another phone zap has been organized for Carl Pruitt, a prisoner at Kinross CF in Michigan who is not receiving proper medical care after an operation.
Pepe, a former anarchist prisoner held in the federal system from 2019-2022, has now started a coffee roasting business, Bandit Coffee Roasters.
Prism Reports has published an important story on problems with PEN America’s prison writing program, highlighting issues such as incarcerated writers not receiving payment for their work. Prism also has an article from Georgia prisoner Carla Simmons on connections between America’s prison system and colonial violence in Gaza.
The Texas Observer has a story on an ongoing lawsuit against the Texas prison system over deadly heat, seeking to force TDCJ to impose maximum heat levels in its facilities.
Meanwhile, the Marshall Project reports that Mississippi lawmakers have been rejecting reforms designed to ensure that defendants have at least some access to defense counsel.
A city in California has agreed to pay out nearly $1 million in compensation to a man who was tortured into wrongly confessing to the murder of his father, although his father was actually still alive.
Beyond Prisons podcast and Critical Resistance have an important new episode out discussing the use of control units to try and neutralize resistance within the prison system.
Texas prisoner Jason Renard Walker is asking for volunteers to help him with transcription work for a new book project. Anyone with capacity to help is encouraged to reach out to him directly at:
Jason Renard Walker #1532092
PO Box 660400
Dallas, TX 75266-0400;
Or via Securus.
Revolutionary prisoner Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, currently recovering from 71 days on hunger strike, continues to publish new writings regularly, and has written a report from his hunger strike, along with a new poem, Racism Dies With Capitalism.
Mongoose Distro is also committed to sharing new work from prisoners on a regular basis, and now has a printable catalog that can be shared with prisoners, as well as bookstores and other physical locations.
The San Francisco Bay View has published a call to action for unification from Kwame “Beans” Shakur and the Prison Lives Matter Movement.
International
The Final Straw Radio have just put out a new interview with Palestinian prisoner support group Addameer.
Kristina “Kita” Cherenkova, an antifascist prisoner from Belarus, has now been freed, while anarchist prisoner Dmitry Rezanovich has had another 9 months added to his 19-year sentence. The Belarus Anarchist Black Cross will be holding a celebration of their 15-year anniversary in Warsaw on August 24, and you can see more news from Belarus in their report for June 11.
Solidarity Zone are running a fundraiser for the legal costs of Yuri Mikheev, an antifascist accused of preparing to sabotage military equipment in Russia. You can see more news from the Russian prisoner solidarity movement in the call for June 11.
Greek anarchist prisoner Nikos Maziotis began a hunger strike on May 14th, but has now suspended it after his main demands were met. Meanwhile, a new case is beginning against Andreas F, an anarchist who wathe s targeted in a raid by the anti-terror police and is facing terrorism charges. In more news from the Greek prisons, anarchist prisoner Thanos Hatziangelou has now been released, and a hunger strike has begun among detainees held in the Amygdaleza Detention Center facing deportation.
Anarchist prisoners in Chile have put together a collection of statements in memory of Mauricio Morales, a Chilean anarchist who died 15 years ago. Unoffensive Animal have also translated a recent statement from the Chilean vegan anarchist prisoners in the Susaron case.
Derry ABC have posted about the importance of continuing to support the Bristol Kill the Bill prisoners, three years on from the protests that led to their imprisonment. Freedom News have published a diary from a UK prisoner who was held for actions against the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems, while a protest was held outside HMP Doncaster in support of another defendant facing charges for alleged actions against the arms trade. British revolutionary prisoner Kevan Thakrar has just been moved to solitary confinement based on false accusations. The UK Network for Police Monitoring has released a new report on the policing of Palestine solidarity protests.
Stop Cop City Defendants
Laurence Clark
#2404538
2 North 604
C/O Securus Digital Mail Center
Fulton County Jail
PO Box 989
Lebanon, MO 65536
Uprising Defendants
See Uprising Support for more info, and check out the Antirepression PDX site for updates from Portland cases. To the best of our knowledge they currently include:
Tyre Means 49981-086
USP Victorville
US Penitentiary
P.O. Box 3900
Adelanto, CA 92301
Margaret Channon 49955-086
FCI Tallahassee
P.O. Box 5000
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Malik Muhammad #23935744
Oregon State Penitentiary
2605 State Street
Salem, OR 97310
Cyan Waters Bass #23905849
Oregon State Correctional Institution
3405 Deer Park Drive SE
Salem, Oregon 97310
Montez Lee 22429-041
FCI Ray Brook
Federal Correctional Institution
PO Box 900
Ray Brook, NY 12977
Matthew White #21434-041
FCI Terre Haute
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. BOX 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808
Matthew Rupert #55013-424
USP Big Sandy
US Penitentiary
P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
José Felan #54146-380
FCI Terre Haute
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808
David Elmakayes 77782-066
FCI McKean
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701
Andrew Duncan-Augustyniak
Smart Communications/PA DOC
Andrew Duncan-Augustyniak / QN9211
SCI Rockview
PO Box 33028
St Petersburg, Florida 33733
Anthony Smith
14813-509
FCI Fort Dix
Federal Correctional Institution
Satellite Camp
P.O. Box 2000
Joint Base MDL, NJ 08640
Ellie Brett 14822-509
FCI Petersburg Medium
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 1000
Petersburg, VA 23804
John Wade 14762509
FCI Beckley
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 350
General & Legal Mail
Beaver, WV 25813
Alvin Joseph 1002016959
Hays State Prison
PO Box 668
Trion, GA 30753
Richard Hunsinger 16066-509
FCI Forrest City Low
P.O. Box 9000
Forrest City, AR 72335
Diego Vargas 55070-424
FCI Allenwood Medium
PO Box 2000
White Deer, PA 17887
Howard Eugene Nall #586907*
Newberry Correctional Facility
13747 E. County Road 428
Newberry, MI 49868
T’Andre Buchanan 67637-060
Milan FCI
PO Box 1000
Milan, MI 48160
Renea Goddard #22810-509
FCI Aliceville
P.O. BOX 4000
Aliceville, AL 35442
Aline Espinosa-Villegas #22814-509
FMC Carswell
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, Texas 76127
Address letter to Angel, address envelope to Aline A Espinosa-Villegas.
Mujera Benjamin Lunga’ho #08572-509
FCI Forrest City Medium
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 3000
Forrest City, AR 72336
Emily Nowlin
22895-509
FPC Bryan
Federal Prison Camp
P.O. Box 2149
Bryan, TX 77805
Upcoming Birthdays
Sergey Romanov
Letters written in languages other than Russian or Belarusian may not reach prisoners in Belarus, but if you email your greetings to belarus_abc(AT)riseup.net, or enter them into this online form, they should be able to translate them and pass them on to Sergey for you. See here for more information.
Birthday: June 7
Address:
(for letters in Russian or Belarusian only)
Romanov Sergey Aleksandrovich
IK № 9, ul. Dobrolubova 16, g. Horki,
Mogilovskaya oblast’, Belarus, 213410
Artem S. Solovey
Artem S. Solovey is an anarchist from Minsk. He was detained on 4 August 2021 and arrested on charges of organisation of actions that disrupted public order during post-election protests in Belarus (Article 342.1) and participation in an extremist organisation (Article 361-1.1) Оn 22 April 2022, he was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison.
Letters written in languages other than Russian or Belarusian may not reach prisoners in Belarus, but if you email your greetings to belarus_abc(AT)riseup.net, or enter them into this online form, they should be able to translate them and pass them on to Artem for you. See here for more information.
Birthday: June 8
Address:
(for letters in Russian or Belarusian only)
Solovey Artem Sergeevich
IK №15, Slavgorodskoe shosse 183,
Veino, Mogilev, Belarus, 213105
Jesse “Tall Can” Cannon
Jesse Cannon (AKA Tall Can, TC for short) is an antifascist political prisoner who is currently at Wasco State Prison serving a 5 year sentence for 2 different cases – both of them for fighting against white supremacy.
Jesse loves nature, music (hip hop and rap, but really anything), photography, and he likes to hear about space and the moon. He’ll love it if you just say what’s up and if you tell him about your cat or a cute squirrel you saw at the park.
California uses Connect Network/GTL, so you should be able to contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: California, Facility: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilition,” going into the “messaging” service, and then adding him as a contact by searching his name or “BX4822.”
Birthday: June 9
Address:
Jesse Cannon BX4822
Facility C
701 Scofield Ave
PO Box 6600
Wasco, CA 93280
Jarreau “Ruk” Ayers
Vaughn Uprising prisoner, one of the only two prisoners from the Vaughn 17 to be convicted. As one write-up put it, “Jarreau Ayers and Dwayne Staats, already incarcerated under the hopeless sentence of life without parole, took it upon themselves to admit to involvement to prevent the rest of their comrades being found unjustifiably guilty, which led to success – not guilty verdicts or their charges being dropped.” You can learn more about Ruk in his own words at Rebellious Hearts and his instagram.
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 “NS9994.”
Birthday: June 15
Address:
Smart Communications / PA DOC
Jarreau Ayers – NS9994
SCI Phoenix
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL, 33733
Jason Renard Walker
Texas prison writer and organizer associated with the 2016 prison strike, contributor to the Fire Inside zine, facing down heavy repression for his ongoing attempts to expose the brutality of the prison system. You can find his writings at his website, Jason’s Prison Journal, and his work has been collected as an ebook, Reports from Within the Belly of the Beast. To find out more about Jason, you can also listen to this interview he recently conducted with the Final Straw.
As Texas uses Securus, you can send him a message by creating an account at securustech.online, clicking “emessaging – launch account”, then searching his name while selecting “State: Texas, Inmate ID: 1532092”.
Birthday: June 17th
Address:
Jason Renard Walker #1532092
PO Box 660400
Dallas, TX 75266-0400
