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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE—JULY 30, 2013
Wednesday July 31st:
International Day of Action in Solidarity Family Members, Activists and Celebrities “Hunger for Justice”
Press Contacts:
Los Angeles: Diana Zuniga 213-864-8931
“Governor Brown’s absolute silence in the face of this hunger strike is a quiet endorsement of torture,” says Margaret Prescod, from Women of Color Global Women’s Strike and host of the Sojourner Truth Show on KPFK. “And we know the criminalization that killed Trayvon Martin, and the criminalization that justifies torture of prisoners, is one and the same.” Two years ago a United Nations’ expert on torture called on all countries to ban solitary confinement lasting longer than 15 days. The Governor hasn’t spoken about any of the three rounds of hunger strikes in the past two years.
“I am looking forward to this historical event, in the coming together of all races as we work toward bringing an end to injustices everywhere, from solitary confinement to racial profiling to mass incarceration,” says Dolores Canales, an organizer with California Families Against Solitary Confinement whose son is on Hunger Strike in the SHU at Pelican Bay. “Governor Brown, how much longer can you ignore what is going on in the State of California?”
The most recent statement by the Short Corridor Collective in
Pelican Bay State Prison says, “We are being tortured each day by
state officials (Governor Brown, his appointee CDCR Secretary Beard,
and all his underlings). Increased retaliation has been perpetuated
upon defenseless and starving prisoners who only seek what any human
being strives for—humane treatment, dignity, equality, and justice
for our families, loved ones, and ourselves. These are the
fundamental rights of all people, including those incarcerated by
the state.” Actions will be held in Oakland, Santa Cruz, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Jackson Mississippi, London, Guyana and Germany.
Endorsed by Mumia Abu Jamal. Convened by the following individuals and organizations: Alexandria House; Alliance for Global Justice; American Muslims for Palestine; Anti-Racist Action-LA; Arab Resource & Organizing Center; Asian Prisoner Support Committee; Black Organizing Project; Brandywine Peace Community; California Families to Abolish Solitary Confinement; California Coalition for Women Prisoners; California Justice for Youth Network; California Prisoner Solidarity Coalition; Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB); Causa Justa – Just Cause; Critical Resistance; DCFS/DHS-Give Us Back Our Children; Decarcerate PA; Ecosocialist Horizons, Every Mother is a Working Mother Network; Erotic Service Providers Union; FACTS Education Fund; Fair Chance Project; Flying Over Walls; Friends of Deir Ibzi'a; Formerly Incarcerated and Convicted People's Movement/ Nat’l; Freedom Archives; F*WORD of RCNB; Global Women’s Strike; Haiti Action Committee; Hank Jones - San Francisco 8; Imam & UC Berkeley Professor Hatem Bazian; Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace; International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal; International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network; Justice NOW!; LA Laborfest; LACAN, Lives Worth Saving Gang Intervention; Malcolm X Grassroots Movement; Martin Luther King Coalition of Greater LA; the MOVE organization; National Hood Alliance; New Jim Crow Movement; Ordinary People's Society/ Alabama; Palestinian Youth Movement; Payday men’s network; Peacehome Campaigns; the Philadelphia Innocence Project; Pier 5 Law Offices; Peter Laarman/Progressive Christians Uniting and Justice not Jails; POOR Magazine/Prensa POBRE; Prodigal Child Project, Alabama; Project South; Queer Strike; Rev. Louis Logan; Ruckus Society, Scientific Soul Sessions; Sin Barras; Stuart Hanlon, partner in Hanlon and Rief; Theresa Shoatz - Maroon Philly Committee; Transgender, Gender-Variant, Intersex Justice; US PROStitutes Collective; White Noise Collective; Women of Color/Global Women’s Strike; Youth Justice Coalition.
Billy Sell, known to his friends as Guero, died in solidarity confinement while on strike at Corcoran State Prison Security Housing Unit (SHU) on Monday, July 22. Conditions in those isolation units are the core focus of a hunger strike that began July 8 and is now in its 23rd day with over 600 inmates continuing to refuse meals. Meanwhile, the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation refuses to negotiate with hunger strikers.
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HUNGER FOR JUSTICEWednesday, July 31st 2013On Wednesday July 31st, people around the world will fast and take other action in solidarity with the California Prisoner Hunger Strikers. Join family members of hunger strikers along with James Cromwell, Angela Davis, Mike Farrell, Danny Glover, Elliott Gould, Chris Hedges, Alice Walker, and Cornel West. We fast knowing that the criminalization that killed Trayvon Martin, and the criminalization that justifies the torture of prisoners in solitary confinement are one and the same. We fast in solidarity with the demands of the hunger strikers. And we fast to get justice for Trayvon and for people of every gender, race and religion who have been killed by state and vigilante violence. Support efforts everywhere for Justice for Trayvon Martin. “We have taken up this hunger strike and work stoppage... not only to improve our own conditions but also an act of solidarity with all prisoners and oppressed people around the world.” Hunger Strikers in the Short Corridor Collective at Pelican Bay State Prison SHU Join us to help win the 5 demands of the California Prisoner Hunger Strikers:
On July 30th the families and loved ones of prisoners on hunger strike are visiting Sacramento to demand that Governor Brown pressure the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to enter into negotiations with the hunger strikers. Call California Governor Jerry Brown and let him know you're fasting in solidarity with the strikers, ask him to meet the strikers demands: (916) 445-2841, (510) 289-0336, (510) 628-0202.
Cities and countries participating thus far: England, Germany, the US (Jackson Mississippi, Los Angeles, Oakland CA, Philadelphia PA). Endorse, support, and/or join the "Hunger for Justice" WE ARE ALL PRISONERS OF INJUSTICE! |
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