Three anarchists were arrested in Warsaw recently, accused of an arson attempt on a police vehicle, put in isolation and tortured. Now they are free but they still face trial, amid a media frenzy against them, and anarchists in general. Come and support them by helping to raise money for their legal costs and learn about the wave of repression in Poland. Never alone, never forgotten!
(Reposted from contrainfo)
Since September 28th 2016, the imprisoned compañeros Fernando Bárcenas, Abraham Cortés (in Mexico City’s Reclusorio Norte) and Luis Fernando Sotelo (in Mexico City’s Reclusorio Sur) have undertaken hunger strike, while Miguel Peralta (in Oaxaca’s Cuicatlán prison) abstains from prison meals.
Their joint struggle, marking three years since the imprisonment of Abraham Cortés (on October 2nd 2013), is also in solidarity with Luis Fernando Sotelo, who was recently sentenced to 33 years and 5 months. It’s also their way of supporting the US prisoner struggle and showing solidarity with African-American compas who experience the drug genocide.
Read a statement by comrades Fernando Bárcenas and Abraham Cortés in Spanish & English.
(Reposted from Contrainfo)
On August the 2nd 2016 the Italian police stormed the house of anarchist Divine Umoru in the city of Bologna arresting him under the accusation of possessing explosive materials for fabricating bombs. The comrade was first send to the prison of Bologna and then transferred to the high security section AS 2 of the prison of Ferrara, staying in isolation and without being able to communicate with nobody for 18 days.
On August 21st there was a solidarity gathering held outside the Ferrara prison, while on August 24th it became known that Divine had his first visit from a family member, saluting all those who supported him and communicating that he felt loud and clear the affection, warmth and rage of those gathered outside Ferrara prison.
The comrade can send and receive letters, though his correspondence is being controlled by the COs. His address at the moment is the following:
Divine Umoru
via Arginone 327
44122 Ferrara
A video from the solidarity gathering on August 21st:
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU71iPKUiWo?feature=oembed]The Campaign to Liberate Rafael Braga calls on collectives, popular movements and organizations from around the world to join us at the International Campaign for Freedom of Rafael Braga.
This is a callout to organise activities throughout Brazil and abroad during November 2016 in order to publicize the case of Rafael and discuss topics such as racism, murder of Black people, mass incarceration, criminal selectivity, anticárcere fight etc. The activities can be varied in character: cultural, acts, tables, debates, collage, stencil, propaganda, academic and others. We ask that groups and / or individuals who are organising something send us details on FORM (https://goo.gl/forms/03jxAYsTCsdZGmeT2) so we can publicize and set up a schedule. In addition to activities, you can also support the campaign by sending photos with posters in support of Rafael Braga or solidarity notes signed by collectives.
Facebook: Liberdade Para Rafael Braga Vieira
Rafael is a young poor Black man, who in June 2013 was working collecting material for recycling in the streets of the center of Rio de Janeiro. He lived on the streets in order to save money the money it would cost to go home, returning only occasionally to his home in Vila Cruzeiro. However, on 20 June, his routine changed.
That day happened in Rio de Janeiro most of the demonstrations that occurred at the time against the increase in bus fares. Rafael, then 25, was arrested when he was on his way back to an abandoned mansion where sometimes slept. Rafael did not participate in the demonstration and was carrying two plastic bottles, a Pine Sol and another disinfectant. At the police station, the police officers who arrested him had open bottles and rags. He was accused of carrying explosive material, which would be Molotov cocktails. He was sentenced to five years and two months imprisonment. On 1 December 2015, he progressed to the open system and out of prison, being monitored by an ankle bracelet.
Moving back to his family in Vila Cruzeiro on January 12, 2016, Rafael went out in the morning to go to the bakery at the request of his mother, Dona Adriana, and the road was approached by UPP officers there. The PMs said he was involved in trafficking and asked him to give information and assume that it was criminal. He was beaten on the way to the police station, including being threatened with rape if he did not admit that he was involved in trafficking. He had 0.6g of marijuana, cocaine and 9,3g of a firecracker planted on him. Thus, since January Rafael has been incarcerated for drug trafficking, association for trafficking and collaboration with trafficking.
Rafael Braga was arrested and convicted in 2013 even without being a protester. He was arrested for being Black and poor. As it is not a militant, no mobilization occurred at the time of his arrest and he was quickly tried and convicted. Even after his conviction, mobilizations by Rafael Braga never got as much attention as the struggles for liberation of other prisoners of the demonstrations of 2013 and 2014. Rafael is a symbol of criminal selectivity and structural racism that pervades Brazilian justice. Living in a militarized area, Rafael was approached and accused of trafficking. The forged testing kit for drugs and explosives which was used to incriminate Rafael is commonly used in slums and outlying areas. The war on drugs keeps claiming new victims every day, wiping out Black people and increasgin mass incarceration.
Liberate Rafael Braga!
ABC Rio de Janeiro: https://cnario.noblogs.org/
(from wawa3.noblogs.org)
We announce that all three of Warsaw are freed.
After nearly 4 months of absolute isolation we managed to pull them out of jail.
This release proves how weak is the police evidence and how “necessary steps” of the prosecution were just playing time, using detention as form of torture to force confessions.
This also proves that solidarity campaigns make sense – not only in moral dimension, but also practically.
What can one do now?
The solidarity campaign continues – as actual criminal trial is yet to come. Defendants still need our support, mostly in the field of information and finance. The money will be needed for the lawyers and for the return of the deposit. Spreading objective, non-police knowledge of this case and repression also really improves their chances on trial and protects the movement from further repression. Organize collection, meetings, events, circulate posters, leaflets, brochures and this website.
What one shouldn’t do now?
The moment of release of the arrested is a moment of intense police attention – in recent days more and more often undercovers and other cops are seen observing places important for the movement and trying to infiltrate. This is the worst time to gossip, speculate, fabricate facts, assign to yourselves or others fault, merit, knowledge of the case, and for any other actions based on incomplete / false information.
If you would like to contact the defendants, think twice whether you’re someone from their loved ones. If not – let them catch their breath and rest – there will be time for our paths to cross, not once.
Solidarity brings freedom!
Send information about the recent US prison strike to folks inside! Here are some files of information that has been gathered about the strike formatted to fit on A4 sheets of paper per file so they can be printed and mailed in to prisoners (where prisons are not too aggressive with censorship, that is).
(Reposted from IWOC Oakland)
This is urgent. Holman prison in Alabama is the epicenter of the prison work strike. The warden is dumping violent inmates with beef into General Population to escalate violence and destabilize the whole of the inmate population.
Just like on the outside, Power seeds conflict and violence to maintain its own position.
Now, after seeing Warden Raybon release approximately 20 people from segregation on September 13, 2016, most of whom were all in segregation for violent incidents (only to see several stabbing take place, including one critically injured and another losing an eye), a total of eight more officers have either quit or turned in their two week notices. Officers are expressing concern that the Commissioners of the ADOC are intentionally exacerbating violence at the expense of human life in efforts to push forward their plan to extort the public for 1.5 billion to build new prisons in next years Legislative Session.
Officers have began to express support for the Non-Violent stance of FREE ALABAMA MOVEMENT and their efforts to expose corruption, violence and other issues plaguing Holman and other Alabama prisons, and have went so far as to make repeated requests to Warden Raybon for the release of F.A.M. co-founder and organizer Kinetik Justice from solitary confinement, because officers now feel that he is being wrongfully detained and because he has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to conduct peaceful demonstrations at Holman prison to bring attention to issues within the ADOC and Holman prison.”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SERIOUS HUMANITARIAN CRISIS AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS DEVELOPING AT HOLMAN PRISON
Contact Information:
National Representative
Pas. Kenneth S. Glasgow
The Ordinary People’s Society
334.791.2433
or
Freealabamamovement@gmail.com
FREE ALABAMA MOVEMENT
Atmore, Alabama. September 16, 2016
A serious humanitarian crisis is developing at Holman prison as correctional officers continue to walk off of the job amid concerns about safety and apathy from Warden Terry Raybon and the office of ADOC Commissioner Jefferson S Dunn, as violence, including deadly stabbings and assaults continue to mount.
Several officers expressed dismay and fear after learning that two of their fellow officers, Officer Brian Ezell and another officer, reported to Warden Raybon that they had knives drawn on them and their lives threatened, and that neither Warden Raybon, nor Commissioners Jeff Dunn and Grantt Culliver would take any action to ensure their safety. Both of these officers then quit.
Several other officers have also quit in the past three weeks after witnessing a stabbing of a fellow officer in the temple and who had remained hospitalized with life threatening injuries until he was pronounced dead earlier today. This after a former warden, Carter Davenport, was stabbed in March amidst back to back riots and other violence at Holman.
Now, after seeing Warden Raybon release approximately 20 people from segregation on September 13, 2016, most of whom were all in segregation for violent incidents (only to see several stabbing take place, including one critically injured and another losing an eye), a total of eight more officers have either quit or turned in their two week notices. Officers are expressing concern that the Commissioners of the ADOC are intentionally exacerbating violence at the expense of human life in efforts to push forward their plan to extort the public for 1.5 billion to build new prisons in next years Legislative Session.
Officers have began to express support for the Non-Violent stance of FREE ALABAMA MOVEMENT and their efforts to expose corruption, violence and other issues plaguing Holman and other Alabama prisons, and have went so far as to make repeated requests to Warden Raybon for the release of F.A.M. co-founder and organizer Kinetik Justice from solitary confinement, because officers now feel that he is being wrongfully detained and because he has repeatedly demonstrated the ability to conduct peaceful demonstrations at Holman prison to bring attention to issues within the ADOC and Holman prison.
We are asking that everyone call Commissioner Dunn and Warden Raybon and demand that they post daily reports of the staffing levels and incidents of violence taking place at Holman as a matter of public safety.
We are further requesting assistance in finding a Human Rights attorney and human rights observers to report to Holman immediately, as the level of violence is skyrocketing, and the men at Holman are left in a virtual war zone to fend for themselves, while officers continue to walk off the job in what is already the most understaffed prison in America. Officers are so afraid to enter the dorms that routine security functions like conducting count are being done by the incarcerated men themselves, and video footage attesting to this fact are widely available online and across social media.
Family members of those incarcerated at Holman are requested to call Commissioner Dunn and Culliver continuously, and demand that their loved ones be immediately removed from Holman, as there are insufficient officers to secure the prison.
FREE ALABAMA MOVEMENT
Warden Terry Raybon
Holman Correctional Facility
251-368-8173
Commissioner Jefferson Dunn
Commissioner Grantt Culliver
334-353-3883 (switchboard operator)
(reposted from wawa3.noblogs.org)
Today during a court sitting concerning the complaint for prolonging the arrest of the 3 anarchists, a decision was made to release them on bail. A fee of 20 thousand PLN (4.600 euro) was set for each of them. If the money is transferred in a weeks time (7 days from today), the arrested will be released and kept under police surveillance instead.
60 thousadns PLN is a fortune for the families and friends of the arrested. Gathering these funds in one week time seems barely possible. If you can – show your support, either financially or by forwarding the call for collecting funds. Every euro brings us closer to getting them out.
Leaving the arrest would mean for the arrested anarchists the end of everyday tortures they suffer after more than 3 months in solitary confinement. We cannot let this chance slip out of our hands!
Support here:
Account Holder: VpKK e.V.
IBAN: DE 4085 0205 0000 0361 5700
BIC: BFSWDE33DRE
Bank für Sozialwirtschaft
Note: Donation ABC Warsaw \ ACK Warszawa
IMPORTANT: Do not forget about the note “Donation ABC Warsaw” or “ACK Warszawa”. Without it nobody will know that your donation is specially for three anarchists from Warsaw.
The attorney of Turin appealed the sentence in the trial against Silvia, Billy and Costa.
The state attorney of Turin, represented by Arnaldi Di Balme, was not pleased with the sentence of nonsuit due to the “ne bis in idem”, that because of lack of jurisdiction the case was not allowed to proceed. Now they are getting back on track appealing against all the jurisprudence and asking for a new process. Once again the persecutor is insisting on claiming that the transport of explosive material and the attempted attack to target IBM in Switzerland was planned in Italy.
The attorney is trying to proof this based upon the participation of Silvia, Billy and Costa in the Coalizione contro le nocivitá (Coalition Against Nocivity (toxicity/harmfulness). An experience of struggle against harmfulness that during its active years has created an active projectuality against bio- and nanotechnologies.)
These attempts of repression should come as no surprise; the law is built specifically to repress critical and struggling environments that go against this exploitive system.
For us it remains clear that it is a necessity to get rid of this ecocidal system that uses science and research as their executive branch.
For those who would like to deepen their understanding we suggest the reading of the publication “Solidarity and Complicity – A collection of texts around the attempted sabotage of the IBM nanotech labs in Switzerland and on the expression of solidarity when the repression got the upper hand” (at the moment only in Italian).
www.silviabillyandcostaliberi.org.
“Us prison strike salutation
The 9/9/71 marked one of the most important dates for the struggle against prisons. The uprising in Attica would still be a major event, even without the subsequent massacre committed by the cops who acted in compliance with the mandates of the Law and Order doctrine, which has found various diversified applications in the western world until today.
Back then, the liberation movements (black liberation, anti-war movement, feminist movement etc.) that were active outside prisons influenced a substantial number of US prisoners, who chose to position the prison -as a space and institution- in the core of struggle for change in the status quo.
Prisons constitute a fundamental tool in the hands of the state and its pursuit to get rid of all those who are deemed superfluous or dangerous to the deathly hush it seeks to impose.
The more capitalism evolves and reaches its limits, swallowing down human beings, natural resources and entire ecosystems in its destructive course of action, the bigger profits it demands, resulting in millions of people being turned into slaves.
The Pan-American strike which is due on 9/9 means to convey a straightforward message:
“We refuse to be slaves any longer”.
Forced labor in public or private, federal or state prisons turns nearly 2.500.000 prisoners in the US into slaves to international corporations.
“This is a call to end slavery in America. This call goes directly to the slaves themselves”, as we read in the prisoners’ announcement.
We know how hard it is to fight capitalism where it’s the most powerful, namely the US; and we also know that depriving it from part of its profits is the only way to inflict a severe damage.
That’s why the upcoming strike is of utmost importance.
That’s why we stand in solidarity and salute the subversive dignity of the prisoners in the US.
VICTORY FOR THE PRISONERS’ FIGHT IN THE US
SOCIAL REVOLUTION TO ABOLISH STATES AND CAPITALISM
Some anarchist prisoners from Greece
Korydallos Prison Block D “