Belarusian Political Prisoners Solidarity Demo, London 23/09

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From Belarus ABC:

Sunday September 23rd

1pm — 5pm.

Embassy of Belarus

6 Kensington Court. London. W8 5DL.

Nearest Tube: High Street Kensington.

Release All Political Prisoners.

The Belarusian embassy will be open on Sunday September 23rd for voting in the parliamentary elections.

Five anarchists; Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Artsiom Prakapenka, Pavel Syramolatau, Aliaksandr Frantskievich and another activist, Jauhen Vas’kovich, were arrested over the autumn of 2010 and the winter 2011. They were accused of various actions including participation in an illegal anti-militarist demonstration; physical attacks on symbols of capitalism, an attack on a KGB headquarters and hacking into government websites.

Those activists have been jailed for different terms, varying from 3 to 8 years in prison.

In August 2012 the International of Anarchist Federations asked for solidarity demos:

“We call everybody to protest against these tortures and demand the immediate liberation of the political prisoners of Belarus, including anarchists.”

IFA statement:

http://i-f-a.org/documents/statements/45-call-for-solidarity-with-imprisoned-comrades-from-belarus-iaf-ifa

For more info about the arrests, charges and sentences check Anarchist Black Cross – Belarus:

http://abc-belarus.org/?p=133&lang=en

You may also write to the prisoners by email: belarus_abc ]a[ riseup ]d[ net – emailed letters of solidarity will be printed out and passed to the prisoners by ABC Belarus members. For further details of the prisoners’ addresses check the Autonomous Action page:

http://wiki.avtonom.org/en/index.php/Category:Prisoners_in_former_Soviet_Union

Solidarity with imprisoned Belarusian Prisoners: 22nd-23rd September

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Picture from Freedom, click for more info

From International of Anarchist Federations:

It has been a long time since the last call for solidarity with the Belarusian anarchists appeared. Today we have to admit that the new wave of solidarity is needed urgently to help them out from the prison.

That’s why we call you to participate in days of action in solidarity with Belarusian political prisoners on 22nd-23rd of September (parliament election day is 23rd) .

From our comrades at Bristol Afed:

Belarusian anti-authoritarian activists; Ihar Alinevich, Mikalai Dziadok, Artsiom Prakapenka, Pavel Syramolatau, Aliaksandr Frantskievich, Jauhen Vas’kovich were sentenced to 3 to 8 years in prison for a series of attacks on state and capital symbols, and are finishing their second year inside.  In October 2011 they were acknowledged as ‘political prisoners’ by rights-watch organisations. This improved their chances to be freed, as the President of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, faces pressure from the European Union to free all political prisoners. He has already pardoned more than 30 of them, but none of our anarchist comrades were granted freedom.

There are currently 15 people listed as ‘political prisoners’ in Belarus, Lukashenko has stated that he will freeonly those who write a petition for pardon, admitting their guilt and asking him personally for mercy.  Five of the inprisoned activists have refused to sign, whilst Artsiom Prakapenka signed it under pressure but remains in prison. All the remaining ‘political prisoners’ are under pressure from the prison authorities to sign the petitions. Methods to attempt to force them to do soinclude; transfers to other penal institutions, preventing food supplies coming in, preventing and limiting visits from relatives, denying phone calls, delays and gaps in the receipt of letters, solitary confinement, transfer to a penal facility with a ‘special regime’, etc.

The anarchists federations that met together at the IAF Congress in St. Imier, Switzerland strongly oppose the fact that our comrades are now being traded for benefits from the EU and condemn the pressure that they have been experiencing. We call on everybody to protest on the 22nd and the 23rd of September [the day of the Belarusian elections] against these tortures and demand the immediate liberation of all political prisoners of Belarus, including anarchists and democracy campaigners. (includes excerts from statement by the International of Anarchist Federations).

A demo in London has already been announced, and we hope to have some more actions around the UK, including in Bristol.

Read More

Message from Kev Thakrar inside CSC Woodhill about assassination attempt by screws.

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Today, Tuesday 31 July 2012, the cretinous senior officer of the Close Supervision Centre, Andy Bailey, and his minions, attempted to take advantage and manipulate the lunatic prisoner Danny Walker, into murdering me.

These fools encouraged Walker into creating a weapon, which he did, and stabbing me in the neck with it whilst unlocked together. Obviously Walker didn’t execute the plan, maybe because his weapon was 2 pencils sharpened and strapped together and he knew it wouldn’t be that simple. But the fact remains, Bailey tried to have me assassinated.

Now that Walker and others have informed me of this, I have been forced into even further isolation ‘for my own safety’ by Bailey. Now I can’t even move on the landing at the same time as loons like Walker. Funny, my ‘safety’ wasn’t an issue when Walker was allowed to follow me into the interview room armed and close the door…

The cowards aren’t able to kill me with the media watching, but talking a mental patient into it seems to be their solution for my exposure of the corruption within the prison service, which will undoubtedly lead to a call for more staff needed!

For everyone reading, if anytime in the future you hear of my death within prison, please remember that it has been caused by the prison service, no matter how it may be made to look. Unless that day comes, I will continue to reveal the evil clandestine ways of British prisons.

Kev Thakrar AS4891AE, HMP WOODHILL CSC
justiceforkevan.com

His mother asks that people write to the governor to complain:

Nigel Smith (Governor)
HMP Woodhill
Tattenhoe street
Milton Keynes
MK4 4DA

A Letter Campaign On Behalf Of Jerome White-Bey – Occupy The Prison Mail Room

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This is a call out for a new letter writing campaign to protest the treatment of Jerome White-Bey, who yet again is being held in isolation on the punishment blocks under a false investigation. His situation in his own words:

I would like to bring your attention to the abuse, harassment, and unjust treatment I have been receiving at the hands of prison officials over the last ten years or more here in the Missouri prison system. Beginning from the Director George A. Lombardi and Dave Dormire, Director, Division of Adult Institutions, and each warden at every prison I am sent to are all involved in a plot to harass, punish, and even maybe murder me, all because of my founding the Missouri Prisoner’s Labor Union here in the Missouri prison system. The abuses, the lies, the frame-ups, are well documented, yet nothing seems to stop the prison officials from harassing and abusing me.

It seems that the closer I get to release from prison the more aggressive they have become in their unjust treatment of me; here lies their two most painful and recent attacks. In 2011, my Custody Level was dropped from a Custody Level of C-5 to C-3 based upon good behaviour, so I was transferred to WMCC which is a Custody Level-3 Prison. While I was at WMCC, prison officials claim to have received a letter threatening the staff there by me, I was put in the ‘hole’ under an investigation, it was later proven that I did not write the letter, I received no conduct violation; but I was still punished for it because my Custody Level was raised from a Custody Level-3 back to a Custody Level-5 which places me into a maximum security prison that has extremely violent inmates, and orders were issued from the Director to the Classification staff, that my Custody Level is not to be dropped again; and I am to remain at Charleston prison until I am released from prison on December 25, 2015.

Now, while in Charleston, since 4/6/2012, I am in Ad Seg, under a false investigation claim. This time it revolves around prison officials who have claimed they received information my name was on some kind of ‘hit list’, so the claim now is I am in the ‘hole’ under an investigation for my protection, yet their records will show I have no enemies at S.E.C.C., but here I am in the ‘hole’ again unjustly. It means nothing to prison officials that I have not had any problem with anybody since I’ve been at Charleston; the investigation is nothing but a sham to harass and punish me. I have not made a request for protection, nor do I need it, so why am I in the ‘hole’? The Missouri Department of Corrections has a system in place to where they reward informants by placing money on their accounts for information received regardless of whether it’s true or not, and if it is on someone who is targeted, the more money the informant gets. Since my name is well known I am an east target for these people, giving the information to prison staff that they want to hear.

I am calling upon you to help me by writing to the following state officials demanding my release from Ad Seg., and a transfer back to a lower Custody Level. The Director George A. Lombardi and Dave Dormire should be fired, and the MDOC should be investigated for ‘hate crimes’. Please send letters of concern about my unjust treatment to the U.S. Department of Justice, and if you do, please mention and ‘CC’ the Missouri State & U.S. Senators/Representatives herein listed, and feel free to write to me here as well.

So please lets flood the mail rooms with letters of support for Jerome White-Bey. Write letters to:
Governor Jeremiah X Nixon
State Capitol
P.O. Box 720
Jefferson City
MO. 65102, USA
George A. Lombardi, Director
Missouri Department of Corrections
P.O. Box 236
Jefferson City
MO. 65102, USA

Missouri Senate:
Sen. Joseph Keaveny
Sen. Robin Wright-Jones
Sen. S. Kiki Curls
Sen. Victor Callahan
Sen. Scott T. Rupp
Address:
State Capitol
201 W. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City
MO. 65101, USA
Missouri State Representatives:
Rep. Linda Black
Rep. Ron Casey
Rep. Pat Conway
Rep. Anne Zerr
Rep. Jamilah Nasheed
Rep. Sharon L.Pace
Address:
State Capitol
201 W. Capitol Avenue
Jefferson City
MO. 65101, USA
Please write letters of support to:
Jerome White-Bey
#37479, S.E.C.C.
300 East Pedro Simmons Drive
Charleston
MO. 63834, USA

Call for witnesses and footage from arrest on Saturday

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From Bristol Defendant Solidarity:

During the anti-EDL mobilisation in Bristol on Saturday 14th July, a white male of medium build 5f 9” blonde short hair wearing a grey hoody, blue grey jeans, and red boots, was arrested near Redcliffe Bridge (Redcliffe side) around 2:30pm approximately.

The EDL were marching over the bridge, while there was a group of around 50 anti-fascists being held back by police, and possibly cordoned off. The individual was then jumped on by several police officers and later charged with section 6 of the public order act and two counts of assault pc. He has since pled not guilty.

One of the assault pc charges was from between half an hour and an hour before, on the Waterfront by Redcliffe Bridge, while police were pushing against a crowd of anti-fascist protesters. The defendant is accused of dragging a police officer into the crowd. The other charges were from the time of the arrest.

We are in need of witness statements, video footage, and any information, which would help towards a defence in court for trial. Please contact bristolarresteesupport[at]riseup.net or phone 07746741104 if you can help.

Call for witnesses and footage from arrest on Saturday

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Anti-fascists clash with police on Redcliffe Way over English Defense League march in Bristol

From Bristol Defendant Solidarity:

During the anti-EDL mobilisation in Bristol on Saturday 14th July, a white male of medium build 5f 9” blonde short hair wearing a grey hoody, blue grey jeans, and red boots, was arrested near Redcliffe Bridge (Redcliffe side) around 2:30pm approximately.

The EDL were marching over the bridge, while there was a group of around 50 anti-fascists being held back by police, and possibly cordoned off. The individual was then jumped on by several police officers and later charged with section 6 of the public order act and two counts of assault pc. He has since pled not guilty.

One of the assault pc charges was from between half an hour and an hour before, on the Waterfront by Redcliffe Bridge, while police were pushing against a crowd of anti-fascist protesters. The defendant is accused of dragging a police officer into the crowd. The other charges were from the time of the arrest.

We are in need of witness statements, video footage, and any information, which would help towards a defence in court for trial. Please contact bristolarresteesupport[at]riseup.net or phone 07746741104 if you can help.

New bust cards from Bristol Defendant Solidarity

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Click here for x4 double sided printing

Legal information for demos:

  • Everything you say can be used in evidence against you or others.
  • There are no “friendly” chats with the police. They cannot be trusted. Avoid contact and conversation with them.
  • Stop and search – Before a search you must be told the name and station of the searching officer, the reason you are being searched and what power you are being searched under.
  • You can be arrested if you refuse to be searched and they can use reasonable force to search you.
  • You do not have to give your name and address or answer questions under any stop and search power (unless driving). However, if you are reasonably believed to be committing anti-social behaviour you can be required to give your name and address to a uniformed police officer under s50 of the Police Reform Act 2002.
  • Police have the power to demand the removal of masks under 60AA of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994.
  • If you witness an arrest – Write down the name of the person arrested, where they were arrested, what for and any other relevant information.

Contact Bristol Defendant Solidarity with information and if you can be a witness. Be careful what you say on the phone. We can arrange a meeting.

Learn about the law. Know your rights and police powers if you think you may get arrested. For further information see ldmg.org.uk. www.activistslegalproject.org.uk

If arrested:

  • Don’t panic. You’re not alone and it’s not the end of the world!
  • You have the right to know why you are being arrested.
  • Note the number(s) of your arresting officer(s), if possible.
  • Tell someone the name you will give to the police so you can be located later at the police station.
  • You still have the right to silence. Just say “No comment” to all questions.
  • Whatever the police say, there is no legal requirement to talk to them.
  • You don’t have to give any information to the police after arrest, but if you don’t give a verifiable name and address it will delay your release.
  • You will be searched and police are entitled to take photo, fingerprints and DNA sample of anyone arrested (by “reasonable force” if necessary).
  • If you have any injuries, ask for an independent doctor to record and photograph them.

You have the right to free legal advice at the police station. Avoid using the duty solicitor. Here are two local firms with experience of representing people arrested on demos:

SANSBURY DOUGLAS : 0117 9552663

NIALL ARNALL : 0117 9098898

You have the right to read your rights from the PACE code of practice. You have the right to have someone (as well as your solicitor) notified that you have been arrested.

Please contact Sam Elliot from Bristol Defendant Solidarity so we can keep track of arrests and arrange support. Let BDS know when you are released.

SAM ELLIOT (BDS) : 07746 741104

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Prisoner Art Exhibition this Sunday @ Kebele

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Prisoner Art Exhibition Open Night @ Kebele Social Centre
Sunday 15th July @ 6:30pm

Bristol ABC will be celebrating the current prisoner art exhibition at Kebele this Sunday. The artwork is by artists who either have been or are currently behind bars. We are also proud to present the Bristol segment of the European speaking tour by Antii Rautiainen, a Finnish anarchist from Moscow who will talk about the Russian anarchist movement, it’s successes and failures.

There will be great music, projections, audio art installations and more…

Suggested donation for food (to fund Antii’s travels and art show): £3

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Mexico: Joint communiqué from anarchist collectives and organizations in solidarity with Mario López “the Gut”

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“Solidarity is the heart of the struggle against Power – Freedom to Mario Antonio López Hernández”

From Mexico ABC:
July 2nd, 2012

In the early hours of June 27th, there was an explosion at the corner of Vicente Guerrero and Londres streets in the Del Carmen neighbourhood of Coyoacán, in Mexico City. Comrade Mario Antonio López Hernández was found there with several burns across his body. He was put in an ambulance and transported under police custody to Rubén Leñero hospital, where his leg and arm were operated on.

At no point was his family allowed to see him, let alone was he able to consult with a lawyer that he trusted to make a statement regarding the accusations that he was facing. On the contrary, members of the Mexican Federal District’s judicial police hounded him with questions, pressuring him to respond—even though the comrade was not physically able to testify, because he was still anaesthetized from surgery—and to accept his participation in other actions, in particular an explosion which had occurred hours before at an ATM at the building of the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE).

It wasn’t until a day later, after pressure from several comrades, that he was able to communicate with his lawyer and family. His family’s house was searched, and nothing relating to the accusations was discovered. Since the morning that Mario was found injured, the mass media published articles in which he is portrayed as a dangerous terrorist.

We have information that the police are trying to link more people to the facts, Felicity Ryder in particular, whose name has appeared in various mass media outlets as Mario’s supposed accomplice, to the point of even declaring that she’s been detained; this, however, has not been confirmed by the Attorney General of Mexico (PGR).

We condemn these irregularities, not because we believe in laws and legality, which only serve to sustain this predatory system, but because we think it’s important not to shut up before the attempt of the Mexican Federal District’s government and judicial police to stage a media case against Mario in particular and the anarchist movement in general.

We are certain that the Mexican Federal District’s government intends to make a scapegoat out of Mario, by setting up a case that attempts to link him to other actions and changing the charges, the last one being “Attack on Public Peace”, and furthermore that they’re beginning a hunt of anarchists. The Attorney General of Mexico has demonstrated that he’s incapable of restraining the offensive of anarchist direct action groups and is, thus, trying to take advantage of a compañero’s accident in order to make an example of him and strike fear into anarchist groups. We also know that the police have a list of names of comrades and organizations that they are now investigating.

We the members of different organizations and collectives in the anarchist movement declare:

– Our total solidarity with our compañero Mario through these difficult times. We embrace him and await his prompt and thorough recovery.

– Solidarity among anarchists is more than just a written word, as we will take a series of actions to disseminate information about the comrade’s situation, as well as to demand his immediate liberation.

– We ask to see and hear Felicity Ryder. In an article from June 29th in the daily newspaper Excelsior, it is mentioned that she has been detained, but this has been neither denied, nor confirmed by the Attorney General of Mexico.

– We reject and denounce the crude attempt by the Mexican Federal District’s government to turn our compañero into a scapegoat while he is incapacitated.

– We call on all independent, autonomous and anti-capitalist organizations to be vigilant about the government’s attempts to provoke an anti-anarchist witch-hunt. We are sure that this new “leftist” government will continue the policy of prosecution and judicialization of any political expression that doesn’t adhere to their plans.

– The social inequality, which sustains this system of domination and exploitation, is much more violent than any form of protest, and attacks the innate right to a dignified life, hindering the freedom of individuals, preying on nature, subjecting the peoples, stripping them and casting them into ever more numerous penitentiaries of this prison-society; this is why we will continue to organize ourselves and build a new world, founded on freedom, mutual aid, solidarity and free accord.

For Mario’s freedom!
For anarchy!

Cruz Negra Anarquista de México
Federación Anarquista de México-DF-Edo. Mex.
Grupo Anarco Comunista
Colectivo Acción Libertaria
Biblioteca Social Reconstruir
Federación Ecatepec Anarquista
Centro de Información Anarquista
Ediciones Hormiga Libertaria
Espacio anarcofeminista Ni Ama Ni Esclava
Libertas Anticorp
Sin Medios Producciones
Regeneración Radio
Proyecto Ambulante Medios Libres
Proyecto Rhabdovirus
2HAK Hip Hop Libertario
Escarlata Revoltoza
Centro Social Okupado Casa Naranja
Espacio Autónomo Café Emma Goldman
Revista Tiempo Animal
Radio Molocha
Individuos Acratas de la Liga de Lucha Libertaria
Fanzinoteca Lee libre
Videoteca La Revuelta

Source: Anarchist Black Cross of Mexico

Note: It was reported in the bourgeois Press that another person may have been arrested, namely Felicity Ann Ryder (Australian citizen), but this has so far neither been confirmed by comrades or relatives, nor declared officially by the Mexican or Australian authorities. In addition, it became known that the house of Mario’s mother was raided and searched on June 29th. The “Lawyers Group in Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners”, in their Press release of June 29th, denounced the kidnapping by the Mexico City’s authorities of the Australian citizen Felicity Ann Ryder, based—as it seems—solely on information about her arrest that were spread by diverse mainstream media, while they emphasized it had not yet been made public where she was being held, nor on what charges. See also this update (retrieved from the Press, though). We ask anyone to contribute confirmed information on Felicity’s situation (and not mere media speculations), if possible.

You may read a communiqué by Mario López “the Gut” himself on Slackbastard.

Paddy Besiris: New prisoner from Stokes Croft riots

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Below are details and address for Paddy Besiris. Paddy would now appreciate support with letters being redirected by Bristol ABC:

Pleaded guilty in May 2012 to violent disorder during the Stokes Croft riots. Paddy was sentenced to 14 months, of which he will serve 7 months due to his early plea. He is a Greek socialist who was involved in various activist groups and recently moved from HMP Horfield after tying to unionise G-wing. Paddy appreciates letters, cards, newsletters and books.

Paddy Besiris c/o ABC
14 Robertson Road
Easton
Bristol
BS5 6JY