Family of a Hunger Striker Speak Out Against Death of Loved One

Christian Gomez was participating in the most recent hunger strike at Corcoran State Prison in the Administrative Segregation Unit (AdSeg/ASU), and died due to “medical conditions,” according to the CDCR. Gomez’s sister, Yajaira, speaks out on behalf of her brother and their family on Democracy Now. Attorney Carol Strickman, of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children and Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity, explains developments with the prisoners’ struggles against torturous conditions of solitary confinement in CA.

From N.C.T.T. at Corcoran SHU to the Occupy Movement

Prisoners at Corcoran’s Security Housing Unit (SHU), who participated in the hunger strike in the summer and fall and have been writing reports and statements about prisoners’ struggles inside–the NARN Collective Think Tank (NCTT)– have issued a proposal for 10 demands to the Occupy Movement (Read the full proposal and 10 demands here). The NCTT has also written more analysis for the Occupy Movement, which has been published by the SF Bay View Newspaper. Read “A Discussion on Strategy for the Occupy Movement from Behind Enemy Lines” here.

Feb. 20th: Occupy National Day in Support of Prisoners!

On Monday, February 20th, over a dozen rallies and demonstrations will be held throughout the US for a “National Occupy Day in Support of Prisoners,” including in the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Austin, Denver, Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. Family and community members of prisoners, former prisoners, and people directly affected by the prison industrial complex will speak out against the destructive impacts of imprisonment by sharing their own experiences and reading statements from their loved ones inside prison.

Since the fall of 2011, a surge of people power has been growing in the US and worldwide, as thousands of people have been mobilizing protests against gross social and economic inequality. At the same time the Occupy movement gained steam in October of last year, 12,000 prisoners were participating in the second wave of a massive hunger strike against California’s notorious prison system. Strike actions continue inside California prisons, with dozens of prisoners at Corcoran State Prisons’ Administrative Segregation Unit refusing food in protest to the conditions of their confinement again.

Prisoners at Cocoran Continue Hunger Strike, Concerns Rise Over Health Conditions

Prisoners in the Corcoran Administrative Segregation Unit (ASU) have been striking for periods of time since late December 2011. It’s likely that some number of prisoners have been striking for the last two weeks. As of February 9, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), disclosed that 30 men were still striking and a representative in the office said that prisoners had been intermittently striking for the last month. The CDCR has consistently misreported the numbers of prisoners on strike around California, and we’ve heard rumors of numbers anywhere from 50 to 200.

A Call for Every CA Prisoner: 150,000 Calls on the CA Legislature Supporting the Hunger Strike

Stand with Prisoners!

Support the Hunger Strikers in Winning their Demands!

The US imprisons over 2.5 million people in jail, prisons, detention centers and juvenile halls, about 150,000 of whom are CA prisoners.

While hunger strikers recover from two rounds of the historic strike in the summer and fall of 2011, supporters outside need to send a clear message of support to the CA legislature and continue building pressure to fully implement the five core demands.

Let’s jam the CA Legislature’s communication with overwhelming support for the hunger strike! A Call or letter for every CA prisoner!

Look up your state representatives  and call, write, email & fax your representative today!

Download open letter here (word document) and mail/fax it to your representatives!

Click here for a suggested Phone Script.

Click here for a suggested Email Script.

Download & print fliers: click here for double-sided flier; click here for single-sided flier

How to Support the 150,000 Calls  Drive (from outside of CA too!)

Status of CDCR’s New Regulations

On December 28, 2011, two members of Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity’s mediation team spoke with Undersecretary Terri McDonald about the status of the new regulations on gang validation/SHU classification policies and procedures.

Undersecretary McDonald stated the following:

1. CDCR is changing to a behavior-based policy about SHU consignment, so that prisoners could be designated as members of “security threat groups” without being sent to the SHU.  Others currently in SHU who have not had behavior issues could be returned to the general population.  It remains to be seen how broadly CDCR will define “behavior.”
2. In addition, CDCR is designing a 4-step “stepdown program” designed for exiting gang members.  Step 1 is high security and step 4 is transition to general population.  Debriefing is not required to qualify for this program.

Prisoners at Corcoran Administrative Segregation Unit Challenge the CDCR & Advance Prisoners’ Struggle

Prisoners in the Administrative Segregation Unit (ASU) at Corcoran State Prison issued a petition listing 11 demands for reform to the CA Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation (CDCR). The prisoners explained to CDCR officials on December 19th that the petition serves as a notice of a peaceful protest if these demands are not met in a timely manner.  CA hunger strike supporters, prisoner advocates and family members were informed today that prisoners at Corcoran began refusing meals on Dec. 28th. Supporters are currently trying to get more information, and will send out another update as soon as possible.

Click here to read the prisoners’ petition.