Kevan Thakrar Urgently Needs Your Support! | Bristol Anarchist Black Cross

Despite being found not guilty of attacking three prison officers, but instead that he acted in self-defence after months of racial, physical and psychological abuse (a ruling that goes against prison officers is VERY unusual in a court) Kevan Thakrar continues to be held in the prison services ‘Close Supervision Centres’ more than five years later.

The CSCs are places of extremely restrictive solitary confinement where he, and his family visiting him, have suffered constant harassment. Kevan’s solicitor recently arranged for an independent psychologist to make a report on Kevan. Kevan has suffered with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as a direct result of the way he’s been treated by prison guards, since before he was placed in the CSCs. The independent psychologist’s report concluded that as Kevan has displayed no violent behaviour since being in the CSCs, and because solitary confinement and the regime in these units only makes PTSD worse, Kevan should be moved back into the mainstream prison population.

The CSC management did not like the conclusion in this report so have instead decided they want to move him to Rampton high security psychiatric hospital to treat his PTSD. In a place like this doctors will be allowed to force mind altering and damaging drugs on him. Kevan, his family, and supporters are very worried about this proposed move, and whilst he tries to challenge this legally, he needs help to campaign against this happening.The number of people suffering from PTSD in England’s prisons is probably too high to imagine. It is extremely unusual to transfer someone that has PTSD to a high security psychiatric hospital.

For more information about Kevan’s case:
www.justiceforkevan.com
www.facebook.com/JusticeForKev

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

Join the protest:

Monday 16th February, 12pm
HM Prison Service
Clive House, 70 Petty France, London, SW1H 9EX

If you can’t make it to London for the protest please try to find the time to phone/fax the following places on that day (or another day if that one is not convenient).

Please write letters of complaint to:

Rob Davis, Governor
HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA
Tel: 01908 722 000
Fax: 01908 722 320

Alan Parkins (This is the main person recommending Kevan’s move to Rampton)
Head of Special Unit/CSC
HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA

Claire Hodgson, CSC Operational Manager
HMP Woodhill, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire, MK4 4DA

Nick Hardwick, Chief Inspector of Prisons
HM Inspectorate of Prisons, Victory House, 6th floor, 30-34 Kingsway, London WC2B 6EX
Tel: 020 3681 2770

Independent Monitoring Board Secretariat
9th floor, post point 9.52, The Tower, 102 Petty France, London, SW1H 9AJ
Tel: 0203 334 3265
Fax: 0203 334 3024

Your own MP or Kevan’s (Ian Stewart MP). When writing to any MP the address to use is: House of Commons, London, SW1A 0AA, or you can contact them on-line www.writetothem.com

Please write letters of support to:

Kevan Thakrar, A4907AE

Kevan was moved to HMP Full Sutton today (19/1/2015), we do not yet know if this is a temporary move or he is on his way somewhere else. Please check the links to his website and Facebook page above for his correct address.