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Prisons & Prisoners

February 28, 2006 - 11:14am -- autonomedia
Analysis & Polemic
Prisons & Prisoners

Al D. writes:

"The Green Scare:
Memory Against Foregetting"

Al D, for Rebel Cascadia

"The struggle of humanity against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting." —Milan Kundera

Two weeks ago I found my name on a government list regarding the current "Green Scare," also known as the FBI's "Operation Backfire" against the grassroots ecology and animal movements.

The mysterious "No Contact" list contains the names of many radical, wonderful people—the people that perhaps would be the most outspoken in their support of those charged in this case—and for some unknown reason these people are supposedly banned from communicating with the defendants. I have tried to find out exactly what the list means, yet I've found no solid answers, but instead a general sense of paranoia, confusion and unease. I've come to view this ridiculous list as symbolic of the whole Green Scare campaign. Check it out here.


The U.S. government excels at dropping down on people's lives like a ton of bricks, and of course that's what it has done with this witch hunt. In the last couple months, it has incarcerated or otherwise hammered many amazing radicals, thereby traumatizing them, their friends, families, and movements. Federal prosecutors have also set a new standard for potential sabotage penalties: life in jail plus, oh, say, about 300 years.

February 27, 2006 - 3:54pm -- autonomedia
News
Prisons & Prisoners

Japanese Red Army Founder Sentenced

Aljazeera.net

The founder of the leftist Japanese Red Army, once one of the world's most notorious radical groups, has been sentenced to 20 years in prison by a Tokyo court for attempted murder and masterminding a 1974 attack on the French embassy in The Hague.


The Tokyo District Court on Thursday handed down the ruling on Fusako Shigenobu, 60, known as the "empress" for her leadership of the organisation, founded in 1971 in alliance with anti-Israeli Palestinian factions.

February 24, 2006 - 9:15am -- autonomedia
News
Prisons & Prisoners

Two More Charged in Oregon with "Ecoterrorist" Arson
U.S, Newswire


United States Attorney Karin J. Immergut announced today that a federal grand jury in Eugene, Oregon, has returned two separate 14-count indictments charging Nathan Fraser Block and Joyanna L. Zacher in the May 21, 2001, arson at Jefferson Poplar Farm in Clatskanie, Oregon. Block and Zacher join four other defendants already charged in connection with the crime.


Block, age 24, and Zacher, age 28, were arrested today by federal agents in Olympia, Washington, where both reside. The agents also executed a search warrant at the residence. Block and Zacher will appear in federal court in Tacoma, Washington, where government attorneys will seek their return to Eugene, Oregon, to face trial.

February 17, 2006 - 5:50pm -- stevphen
Announcements
Prisons & Prisoners

The Poor Don't Belong in Prisons! Fight the WTO!

A CALL for INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY for anti-WTO political Prisoners and PRESSURE to CONTINUE DERAILING WTO:
International Action Week, Feb 27th - March 5th 2006

in solidarity with 2 anti-WTO political prisoners who stand trial in Hong Kong, thousands of political prisoners behind bars worldwide, and millions of prisoners of WTO-related policies.

Women, Poor people, Farmers, Migrants, Workers don't belong in WTO prisons! Join Targetwto Commonfront in this International Action Solidarity

Hong Kong, FEB 15 (TargetWTO) – In Early March, two anti-WTO political prisoners will stand trial for charges of unlawful assembly during the Dec 17th occupation of Gloucester Road outside the 6th Ministerial Conference of the WTO. If convicted, they face a fine of HK$5,000 and imprisonment for 5 years.

Over 1,200 anti-WTO protesters were arrested on Dec 18th in Hong Kong. Fourteen were detained in Hong Kong for almost a month, not allowed to go to their home country to continue their livelihoods. On January 11th, charges against 11 were dropped. Charges against M. Yang Kyoung Kyu were dropped on Feb 14th. Conviction against the 2 standing trial would further face isolation from their home, family, and livelihood. The three
are M. PARK IN HWAN and M. YOON IL KWON from the Korean Peasants League (member of La Via Campesina).

The anti-WTO support group in HK has set Feb 27th to March 5th as the international action week to support anti-WTO political prisoners and continue derailing the WTO. While two face charges in Hong Kong, millions of farmers, women, workers and the poor are prisoners of WTO policies.

Targetwto Network is calling on people, groups and allies around the world affected by WTO policies to stage a protest during the International Action Week in order to derail the current Doha Round, to protect the lives of poor people and to stand in solidarity with all those who are prisoners of WTO and US imperial policies. Doha Round began in 2001 in Quatar as WTO's so-called development agenda. The Doha Round is aiming to strengthen the growth of corporations, profit and privatization before people and indigenous livelihoods.

February 11, 2006 - 2:14pm -- autonomedia
News
Prisons & Prisoners

Clare Hanrahan writes:

"The Line Has Crossed Us All:
'Aiding and Abetting' Conviction Brings a Six-Month Prison Sentence at School of the Americas Trials"
Clare Hanrahan

Thirty four peaceful protesters arrested during the November 20, 2005, vigil at the gates of Fort Benning, Georgia, faced trial before Federal Magistrate G. Mallon Faircloth on January 30 and 31st in Columbus, Georgia. All defendants were found guilty and face prison or probation.

February 2, 2006 - 2:16pm -- autonomedia
Announcements
Prisons & Prisoners

Anonymous Comrade writes:

“Warrior Wind” Newsletter's First Issue Available

The first issue of “The Warrior Wind,” a newsletter against our society of confinement, is out now. It is available as a.pdf file, to print out and distribute locally, from either of the following two locations: here, or here.

The February newsletter contents include: “On the Recent Wave of Repression,” a look at the Northwest “eco-crime” cases; dispatches from eco-defense prisoner Jeff “Free” Luers; other repression and resistance news (grand juries, Auburn arrests, SHAC 7 trial, Chuk’shon Earth First! activists face sentencing, and “Belgium: Solidarity Against All Borders!”); information about the newsletter project itself; and finally a reprint of Ralph Chaplin’s poem “The Warrior Wind.”

We encourage you to make this project your own, not only through making copies and circulating the information within, but also by offering us your feedback and writing for future issues.

As repression increases, we believe that it has become more, not less, important for radicals to raise their voices. “The Warrior Wind” newsletter is one small gesture towards the sort of fight-back we desire.

Our first issue is dedicated to the memory of Bill Rodgers.

For a better world,
TWW Editors

November 29, 2005 - 9:54am -- jim
Events
Prisons & Prisoners

Carolyn Thompson writes:

Free Father Gerard Jean-Juste Now!
Miami, Dec. 10, 2005


Miami's Torch of Friendship Down town Miami, Florida. Miami will bear wittnes to the united voices of tens of thousands of Haitians as we march for the liberaion of the Haitian people and the freedom of our beloved leader of the non violent resistance movement in Haiti Father Gerard Jean-Juste.

Father Gerard Jean-Juste was the founder of the Haitian Refugee Center in Miami, and has lead a vigilant struggle of more than 30 years for the equal treatment of Haitian Refugees and now leads the call for the return to constitutuiona order and the return of the first democraticaly elected president of Haiti, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide (removed by US Marines and a small band of Haitian business people called Group 184.

November 27, 2005 - 11:29pm -- jim
News
Prisons & Prisoners

Mumia Abu-Jamal writes:


Veronza Bowers Held Hostage by Federal Prison System!
Mumia Abu-Jamal

Plan of Action:

Specific action requests include the concrete support of Bro. Bowers'
legal defense team; the concrete support of Bro. Bowers himself; and
to substantially increase the level of involvement of freedom-loving
people globally in spreading the word about this despicable travesty.


Purpose of Action:

Support Veronza Bowers, Jr. who remains in prison 18 months past the
expiration of a 30-year sentence he has already completed.

November 25, 2005 - 9:56am -- jim
Events
Prisons & Prisoners

Partisan Defense Committee writes:

20th Annual Holiday Appeal for Class-War Prisoners
New York City, Dec. 9, 2005


Free Mumia Abu-Jamal! Abolish the Racist Death Penalty!
Friday, December 9, 2005
6:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.
6 Harrison Street
New York, NY
Admission: $10 in advance, $15 at the door

On December 9, the Partisan Defense Committee will have its 20th Annual Holiday Appeal benefit for class-war prisoners. December 9 also marks the 24th anniversary of the racist and political frame-up of innocent death-row prisoner, Mumia Abu-Jamal. Speakers include Lynne Stewart, a leftist lawyer and victim of the bogus “war on terror” who faces up to 30 years in prison when she gets sentenced on January 20. Also speaking will be PDC Counsel and former attorney for Mumia Abu-Jamal, Rachel Wolkenstein along with Barry Bachrach, lead attorney for Leonard Peltier. The Holiday Appeal benefit will also feature live music with Bern Nix/Francois Grillot. Also appearing are Prajna and Madsól.

October 13, 2005 - 10:28am -- jim
News
Prisons & Prisoners

Roosevelt Island Arrest

Yuji Agematsu

On Sunday, October 2nd, 2005 I was arrested while shooting video footage of the scenery of Midtown Manhattan from Roosevelt Island. That my camera was pointing to the UN building; that I had climbed over the handrail of sidewalk and gone down to the river bank that is the property of New York State; that I neither had a permit of shooting of video nor ID – these, the police claimed, were the grounds of my arrest.


Handcuffed I was taken to the substation of the island. Video camera, keys of my apartment, wallet, cigarette, etc. – all I had were taken away. Belt and shoelaces of sneakers were removed. I was made to sit with handcuffs, while they inspected the video footage. The scenery of the East River and the buildings — just everyday scenery — was there.

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