prison

The tragedy of Karaganda

Members of the CNT and other Spanish anti-fascists in the Soviet Union, 1938-1956.

Abstract: In March 1939, Republican soldiers who had been training as aviation pilots were stranded in the USSR along with the sailors of several vessels from the Spanish merchant navy. They were prevented from leaving and in 1941 were arrested and sent to Novosibirsk Transit Prison. Also detained were several civilians who had been working with children evacuated from the Civil War.

Event to mark second anniversary of repression against San Salvador Atenco, Mexico

Report on the memorial of the victims of government repression in San Salvador Atenco, Mexico.

Atenco, 3rd of May 2008

From 10:00 a.m. there took place in Atenco an action in memory of those fallen on the 3rd of May 2006 as a result of the repression of the community meted out by Governor Peña Nieto and then-President Vicente Fox. The event began with an offering to Alexis Benhumea and Francisco Javier Cortes, on the Lechería -Texcoco Highway, the main entrance to Atenco.

Rooted in slavery: prison labor exploitation

Article analysing the roots of prison labour in America.

The United States has once again surpassed its own world record for incarcerating the highest percentage of its population. According to a report released by the Bureau of Prison Statistics, one out of every 32 adults was in prison, in jail, on probation, or on parole at the end of 2005.

Prisoner riot reverses smoking ban

A smoking ban at 18 prisons in Quebec was reversed this week after a riot by prisoners.

On Tuesday, smoking was banned both inside and outside of Quebec's 18 prisons. Just before midnight on Thursday, 30-50 prisoners rioted and set fire to a wing at the Orsainville detention centre near Quebec City. This was met by a statement from Public Security Minister Jacques Dupuis the morning after, stating that prisoners would be allowed to smoke outside.

France: first suicide in new youth prison

A sixteen year old boy hung himself in his cell on Saturday.

The youth was being held in an établissement pénitentiaire pour mineurs (EPM penitentiary establishment for minors.) in Meyzieu. This EPM was the first in the country and since its opening it has been plagued with problems. The prison authorities kept the news from other inmates until Monday "to avoid an explosion". So far five of the planned seven EPMs have been opened.

Sherrybaby, dir. Laurie Collyer, 2007. Film review

Review of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s turn as a recovering addict.

The Substance of Abuse

UK: Prison officers in mass unlawful strike

Some 20,000 prison officers in England and Wales took illegal unofficial action on Wednesday 29 August against Gordon Brown’s public sector wage cuts and the disastrous overcrowding in prisons.

Some 20,000 prison officers in England and Wales took illegal unofficial action on Wednesday 29 August against Gordon Brown’s public sector wage cuts and the disastrous overcrowding in prisons.

Independent Israeli occupation resister released from prison

Tali Fahima at a press conference right after her release

After having served 877 days in prison on spurious charges, Tali Fahima, an Israeli citizen who independently crossed the lines with Palestine to befriend a chief militant and to initiate humanitarian work in the Jenin refugee camp, was yesterday released from prison.

Fahima's plea bargain meant that her release was supposed to have occured on September 13th, but it was delayed due to an incident in which she was "rude to a warden." This was just the latest step in a campaing to leave her in perpetual custody, ever since she was imprisoned on August 9th, 2004 for allegedly plotting to take part in a terrorist attack.

Imprisoned Iranian trade unionist released

Mansour Osanloo

Mansour Osanloo, leader of the Iranian bus workers' union, was today released from prison on bail after being imprisoned since November 19th.

The ITUC and the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF) today welcomed the release of detained Iranian trade unionist Mansour Osanloo, while deploring the fact that he had to post additional bail to ensure his release. Osanloo was already on bail of 150 million Toman (US$ 165,000), stemming from his previous detention by the authorities from 22 December 2005 to 9 August 2006.

Two Iranian trade unionists briefly imprisoned

Imprisoned: Mansour Osanloo

Two more Iranian trade unionists were detained today while a third continues to be imprisoned.

December 3, 2006 - According to a news release issued by the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Bus Company (Sherkat-e Vahed), two other members of the Board of Directors of the union were arrested today, December 3rd, 2006 in Tehran's Khavaran bus terminal but were released late this evening. They are scheduled to appear in court tomorrow morning, December 4, 2006.

1892-1894: The prison revolt and massacre at Cayenne

Iles du Salut prison cell

A short history of the brutal repression at the Cayenne island prison camp in French Guyana. A rebellion against a prisoner's murder was followed by a massacre of anarchists by the authorities.

The Iles du Salut are situated off Cayenne, in what was French Guyana in South America. These three prison islands – of which Devil's Island is the most infamous - were reserved by the French authorities for hard cases, for repeated escapees and for political prisoners. In the course of time many anarchists were sent to these hell-holes.

Girier, Anthelme, 1869-1898

Le Bandit du Nord cover

A short biography of French anarchist orator Anthelme Girier, who was imprisoned and involved in the revolt at the Iles du Salut penal colony.

Anthelme Girier
aka Jean Baptiste Lorion, born 1869 - France, died 16 November 1898 - French Guyana

1921-1953: A chronology of Russian anarchism

Gulag

A brief timeline of the anarchist movement and anarchist activity in the USSR, and its repression by Soviet authorities following the Russian Revolution.

“But we do not fear you or your hangmen. Soviet 'justice' may kill us, but you will never kill our ideals. We shall die as anarchists and not as bandits.”
- The anarchist Machanovskii at his trial before the Petrograd Revolutionary Tribunal, 13th and 22nd December 1922

Prisoner support guide

A guide to providing support to prisoners in UK jails, from letter-writing and visits to sending reading materials and more.

Adopt a prisoner
If you’re active in a group or campaign why not choose one or two prisoners to consistently support. Pass cards round meetings, send useful stuff, knock up a flyposter and get their case some publicity if they could use it, get in touch with the prisoner’s support group if there is one. Of course you can take this on as an individual, too.

Starting out

Prison survival guide

prisoner.jpg

A guide to surviving prison or preparing yourself to go to prison, with tips on staying safe, prison etiquette, how to deal with guards and other prisoners, how to get involved in organising and struggle, and more.

Introduction
Imprisonment as a form of punishment can be traced back to Greek times, but until relatively recently long-term incarceration was extremely rare, only flourishing in modern times after transportation to 'the colonies' became unviable (in no small part due to the American Revolution).

A popular uprising that turned into a pogrom

Following a brawl between Russian and Chechen mafia, a popular assembly adopted a fascist resolution for a pogrom. A later anti-fascist attack on fascist leaders resulted in several arrests.

On August 29th, a row began in a café, 'Chayka', in Kondologa, Russia. The fight was between drunken local youths and the Chechen criminal group, which ran the cafe.

Bush seeks to avoid human rights violation charges

Bush is trying to pass legislation that would immunise government personnel for abuses against detainees at Guantanamo, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq, including those abuses it authorised.

If the Bush administration is still good at anything, it's this: distracting its opponents and seizing little victories from what might have been big defeats.

House OKs controversial detainee treatment trial bill

Guantanamo

The Bush administration’s controversial military commissions and detainee treatment bill is one step closer to being signed into law.

On Wednesday, the House approved its version of the measure, leaving it to a vote in the Senate today. Under the new bill, detainees would be prevented from challenging their imprisonment and denied access to evidence used against them.

1989: The Risley prisoners' uprising

risley.jpg

In 1989 prisoners at Risley Remand Centre celebrated 1 May in style by taking over a wing of the notoriously squalid, brutal prison and spending three days on the roof. We remember the Risley uprising and analyse its legacy for prisoners' struggle in Britain.

Gris Ris
In 1988 the Chief Inspector of Prisons Stephen Tumim described Risley as 'barbarous and squalid', `appalling and totally unacceptable', `dirty and dilapidated'.

1970-1978: The US prisoners' movement

george-jackson-san-quentin.jpg

Howard Zinn's history of the movement of US prisoners and supporters on the outside against poor conditions and ill-treatment.

The movement refelected the general upsurge in revolutionary activity in the US at the time
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