Emergency Action Alert! Sleep Deprivation continues

Imagine being awakened every 30 min for over 6 months

artwork by Todd (Hyung Rae) Tarselli

Sleep deprivation torture in Pelican Bay SHU (solitary) has been happening since August 2, 2015

The negative health consequences of inadequate sleep ha[ve] been extensively documented and nowhere in the literature is there a report on as severe a disruption in sleep as is occurring in the Pelican Bay SHU.”

–Dr. Jamie Zeitzer, internationally recognized sleep expert, 10/25/15

Since August 2, 2015 prisoners in solitary have been subjected to jarringly loud noise 40+ times day & night:

reverberating noise of the steel doors to units opening and slamming closed,
stomping of guards through the pods, up and down the stairs,
rattling of keys and chains,
banging Guard One metal pipes on the cells,
beeping of Guard One metal pipes on metal buttons,
guards shining their flashlights into the prisoners’ eyes.

These so called “welfare checks” serve no welfare or security purpose; they only harm the prisoners, mentally and physically.

Call to demand a STOP to the “checks” in Pelican Bay SHU:

CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) Secretary’s Office (Scott Kernan): 916-323-6001
Kelly Harrington, CDCR Director of Adult Divisions: 916-445-7688
Senator Loni Hancock, Senate Public Safety Comm. Chair: 916-651-4009
Assembly Member Bill Quirk, Assembly Public Safety Comm. Chair: 916-319-2020
Governor Jerry Brown: 916-445-2841

Suggested script for calls:
Give your name, city, and state. Tell them all: “Stop the so-called “security/welfare” checks in the Security Housing Unit (SHU) at Pelican Bay State Prison. Sleep deprivation is torture.”

⇒Click this link from Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB) to email state elected officials to oppose the “security/welfare” checks: http://salsa3.salsalabs.com/o/51040/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=17680

⇒Organizations and prominent persons, please write a statement condemning the sleep deprivation torture of prisoners. Send to Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Outreach phssreachingout@gmail.com and kohenet@sbcglobal.net

Sleep Dep Is Torture