Media Advisory – Thursday, October 22, 2015

Communities to rally across the country,
incl. Pelican Bay & Oakland
against solitary confinement

Advocates are rallying against sleep deprivation of prisoners; national effort, “Together to End Solitary,” to launch website

Press Contact:
Mohamed Shehk – 408.910.2618 – mohamed@criticalresistance.org
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition

What:   Rallies against solitary confinement and
“welfare  checks”

Following the historic gains made against solitary confinement in August, prisoners in Pelican Bay State Prison’s SHU report the use of “welfare” or “suicide” checks occurring every thirty minutes, 48 times a day. The checks are being conducted in an aggressive way and prevent people from sleeping for over thirty minutes at a time. Loud stomping, the slamming of doors, the striking of electronic wands against buttons installed by cell doors, and the shining of lights into prisoners’ faces are routine. Deprivation of sleep is widely seen as a form of torture. Additionally, a national effort “Together to End Solitary,” will be launching its website tomorrow in coordination with the monthly actions on the 23rd, www.togethertoendsolitary.org.

 

Who:    Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition
(PHSS)

PHSS is a statewide coalition that includes California Families Against Solitary Confinement, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, Critical Resistance, California Prison Focus, American Friends Service Committee, and many other organizations and individuals who work against imprisonment and solitary confinement.

Where +
When:   Fri, Oct 23 at locations throughout California and
across the country, including:

1:00pm
Across from Pelican Bay State Prison
5905 Lake Earl Dr, Crescent City, CA 95532

                  For a full list of the actions, please visit
https://prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com/

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—

Mohamed Shehk
Media and Communications Director
Critical Resistance
1904 Franklin St, Suite 504
Oakland, CA 94612
510.444.0484