SIGN to support the Georgia Prisoners' Strike! Hands Off the Striking Georgia Prisoners!
Sign online to tell President Obama, Attorney
General Holder, Georgia Governor Perdue, Georgia Attorney General Baker,
Georgia Corrections Commissioner Owens, the Georgia Legislature, the Georgia
Congressional Delegation, Congressional leaders, U.N. Secretary General Ban,
and members of the media you want no violence and no reprisals against the
courageous Georgia Prison Strikers and you want their demands met.
click HERE to sign. (scroll down to view
petition text).
According to reports from family members and prisoner rights advocates,
thousands of incarcerated men engaged in a coordinated strike starting Dec. 9.
They refused to go to work or participate in other assignments or activities,
but stayed in their cells, calling it a “lockdown for liberty.”
Using unauthorized cell phones, the prisoners have been able to organize among
themselves and to communicate with news media and supporters.
What is so extraordinary about this action besides its statewide character is
its unity among the prisoners - Black, Latino, white, Muslims, Christians,
Rastafarians - to achieve their central demand to be treated as human beings,
not slaves or animals.
The Georgia Department of Corrections (DOC) has refused to provide any
information to date but did release a short statement on Dec. 9 claiming that
no job action had taken place and nothing unusual was happening. However, the
DOC acknowledged that based on the “rumor” of a strike, wardens at
four facilities had ordered a general “lock down” of the
institution to prevent any disruption. A lock down means that all prisoners are
confined to their cells and no visitors or phone calls are allowed.
Inmate families and community organizers such as Elaine Brown, former head of
the Black Panther Party and long-time prisoner rights activist have received
numerous phone calls recounting instances of violence and intimidation by
prison guards and officials in response to this peaceful protest.
At Augusta State Prison, at least six prisoners were dragged from their cells
and beaten, resulting in broken ribs and other serious injuries.
At Telfair State Prison, guards rampaged through the cells, destroying personal
property while searching for contraband cell phones.
At Macon State Prison, the prison authorities first shut off the heat as
temperatures dropped below freezing and then on the second day of the strike,
also cut off the hot water.
An unknown number of prisoners have been taken to the “hole” at the
various facilities.
Georgia has over 100 prisons, work camps and other detention centers with the
5th largest prison population in the US. It is estimated that 1 in 13 adult
Georgians are under some sort of legal control by the state – in prison
or jail, on parole or out on bond with charges pending or under some sort of
court or correctional supervision.
In a message sent from a prisoner on Day 3 of the strike, he urged
“Don’t Give Up Now! On Monday, when the doors (to the cells –
editor) open, close them. Do Not Go To Work.”
Prior to the strike, the prisoners issued a statement outlining nine specific
demands:
· A LIVING WAGE FOR WORK: In violation of the13th Amendment to the
Constitution prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude, the DOC demands
prisoners work for free.
· EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: For the great majority of prisoners, the DOC
denies all opportunities for education beyond the GED, despite the benefit to
both prisoners and society.
· DECENT HEALTH CARE: In violation of the 8th Amendment prohibition
against cruel and unusual punishments, the DOC denies adequate medical care to
prisoners, charges excessive fees for the most minimal care and is responsible
for extraordinary pain and suffering.
· AN END TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS: In further violation of the 8th
Amendment, the DOC is responsible for cruel prisoner punishments for minor
infractions of rules.
· DECENT LIVING CONDITIONS: Georgia prisoners are confined in
over-crowded, substandard conditions, with little heat in winter and oppressive
heat in summer.
· NUTRITIONAL MEALS: Vegetables and fruit are in short supply in DOC
facilities while starches and fatty foods are plentiful.
· VOCATIONAL AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: The DOC has stripped its
facilities of all opportunities for skills training, self-improvement and
proper exercise.
· ACCESS TO FAMILIES: The DOC has disconnected thousands of prisoners from
their families by imposing excessive telephone charges and innumerable barriers
to visitation.
· JUST PAROLE DECISIONS: The Parole Board capriciously and regularly
denies parole to the majority of prisoners despite evidence of eligibility.
The conditions that have caused these men to take such a courageous action are
duplicated in prisons and jails across the US. News about their historic strike
has been censored with next to no coverage throughout Georgia. The New York
Times did print information about the strike following calls by prisoners to
the newspaper (Dec. 12, 2010).
Solidarity is needed to ensure the safety of the prisoners and the improvement
of their conditions. Calls to the following Georgia prisons are encouraged,
demanding no retaliation or reprisals and full compliance with the
prisoners’ demands.
Macon State Prison – (978) 472-3900.
Hays State Prison - (706) 857-0400
Telfair State prison – (229) 868-7721
Baldwin State Prison is at (478) 445- 5218
Valdosta State Prison - (229) 333-7900
Smith State Prison - (912) 654-5000
SAMPLE PETITION TEXT:
To: Georgia Corrections Commissioner Owen, Georgia Atty General Baker, Georgia
Gov. Perdue, Attorney General Holder, President Obama
cc: Georgia Legislature, Georgia Congressional Delegation, Congressional
Leaders, U.N. Secretary-General Ban, members of the media
Stop the violence and abuse against the courageous Georgia Prison Strikers!
Grant the prisoners' just demands of respect for their humanity and human
rights!
Beginning on Dec 9 the prisoners in at least 6 facilities across the state of
Georgia carried out a united non-violent strike, sitting down and refusing to
perform slave labor for no pay. Demonstrating unity and solidarity among all
prisoners, [list .. in the reports somewhere sites about 6 different groups
including rastas, etc..will try to find that for here] the prisoners have
issued a set of demands tha boil down to one: they insist on being treated like
human beings. Yet the response of the Georgia prison system has been violence
and more abuse.
At Augusta State Prison, at least six prisoners were dragged from their cells
and beaten, resulting in broken ribs and other serious injuries.
At Telfair State Prison, guards rampaged through the cells, destroying personal
property while searching for contraband cell phones.
At Macon State Prison, the prison authorities first shut off the heat as
temperatures dropped below freezing and then on the second day of the strike,
also cut off the hot water.
An unknown number of prisoners have been taken to the “hole” at the
various facilities.
I demand that this abusive treatment cease immediately, and that there be no
reprisals against the strikers. I further demand that the prisoners' just
demands be met immediately. The list of them itself speaks volumes condemning
and exposing the totally inhuman and barbaric conditions in the Georgia prison
system. They must be addressed immediately. They are:
· A LIVING WAGE FOR WORK: In violation of the13th Amendment to the
Constitution prohibiting slavery and involuntary servitude, the DOC demands
prisoners work for free.
· EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: For the great majority of prisoners, the DOC
denies all opportunities for education beyond the GED, despite the benefit to
both prisoners and society.
· DECENT HEALTH CARE: In violation of the 8th Amendment prohibition
against cruel and unusual punishments, the DOC denies adequate medical care to
prisoners, charges excessive fees for the most minimal care and is responsible
for extraordinary pain and suffering.
· AN END TO CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS: In further violation of the 8th
Amendment, the DOC is responsible for cruel prisoner punishments for minor
infractions of rules.
· DECENT LIVING CONDITIONS: Georgia prisoners are confined in
over-crowded, substandard conditions, with little heat in winter and oppressive
heat in summer.
· NUTRITIONAL MEALS: Vegetables and fruit are in short supply in DOC
facilities while starches and fatty foods are plentiful.
· VOCATIONAL AND SELF-IMPROVEMENT OPPORTUNITIES: The DOC has stripped its
facilities of all opportunities for skills training, self-improvement and
proper exercise.
· ACCESS TO FAMILIES: The DOC has disconnected thousands of prisoners from
their families by imposing excessive telephone charges and innumerable barriers
to visitation.
· JUST PAROLE DECISIONS: The Parole Board capriciously and regularly
denies parole to the majority of prisoners despite evidence of eligibility.
Hands off the Georgia Prison Strikers! Grant their just demands
immediately!
Sincerely
(your signature appended here)
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