Press Conference: The Concerned Coalition to Protect Prisoner Rights

The Concerned Coalition to Protect Prisoner Rights held a press conference on January 6th, 2011 to discuss the physical assaults perpetrated on inmates by prison staff. The attacks took place in the wake of fact finding visits by the Coalition to Macon State Prison and Smith State Prison, following last month's inmate led work stoppage that spread to nine of Georgia's prisons.

This piece includes interviews by Bruce Dixon of BlackAgendaReport.com with Edward DuBose, President of the Georgia Conference of NAACP Branches, Ajamu Baraka with the U.S. Human Rights Network, Chara Jackson with ACLU Georgia, Kenneth Glasgow of The Ordinary People Society, Charles Muhammad of the Nation of Islam and Hugh Esco of the Georgia Green Party.

Precursor: Attica!

http://www.deepdishtv.org The Attica Rebellion: On September 9, 1971 1,500 prisoners took over Attica Prison in upstate New York to protest conditions. 43 hostages were taken. The prison was held for four days. 43 men dies from police gunshot wounds in the retaking of Attica: 10 hostages, 22 inmates. Footage includes "Bloody Monday" September 13, 1971.

Retribution? New Charges of Georgia Inmate Beatings

from the Final Call

Ever since thousands of inmates in several prisons across the State of Georgia staged a peaceful strike to raise awareness about and forge a change in their inhumane living conditions and treatment behind bars, they have been retaliated against, according to a coalition that formed to support them in their quest for better treatment, access to loved ones, proper nutrition, and healthcare, among many other things.

During one of their visits, a fact-finding mission comprised of the Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners' Rights found that the inmates were fed bologna sandwiches for several days straight, and some of them were beaten, put in isolation cells, and many were transferred to undisclosed locations. The Coalition is reporting that there are more abuses and new charges of beatings, and they will appeal to state and prison officials for more access to the inmates.

The Coalition is scheduled to hold a press conference outlining their request in Georgia, tomorrow. Here's is the full press release, which I received moments ago. (Beneath the press release are the links to three recent articles I wrote and co-wrote for the Final Call regarding the strike, dubbed "Lockdown for Liberty!"

***

Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights

For Immediate Release Contact: Elaine Brown, 404-542-1211

January 5, 2010 Leila McDowell, 410-336-7879

concernedcoalitionga@gmail.com

Find us on Facebook.com

Press Conference

THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2011

10:30 a.m.

Georgia State Capitol

206 Washington Street

Atlanta, Georgia

NEW CHARGES OF INMATE BEATINGS

Reports from Prison Visits

Set Off Coalition Appeal to DOC and Governor-Elect for More Access

The Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights, formed to support the interests and agenda of thousands of Georgia prisoners who staged a peaceful protest and work strike initiated early last December, will host a press conference this Thursday. The mothers and other family members of Terrance Dean and Miguel Jackson, inmates reportedly brutally beaten by guards at Macon State and Smith State Prisons in connection with the strike, will be in attendance.

The press conference follows reports of violent abuses of these men and others and the findings of fact by Coalition delegations after visits to two prisons in December. These reports have increased fears of the targeting of and retaliation against inmates on account of their peaceful protest for their human rights and raise the urgency for immediate reform.

“These new developments have increased our fears and our legitimate call for more access to inmates,” said Elaine Brown, Co-Chair of the Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners Rights.

Ed Dubose, Coalition Co-Chair and president of the NAACP of Georgia, stated, “Family members are frantic and mothers are crying and anguished after learning their loved ones have been badly injured. We cannot allow those cries to go unanswered. Since the start of the December 9 peaceful work stoppage and appeal for reform and respect for human rights, some inmates have been targeted and others have simply disappeared. We are urging the Department of Corrections and Governor-Elect Nathan Deal to act now to halt these unjust practices and treat these men like human beings.”

Black, brown, white, Muslim, Christian, Rastafarian prisoners, including those at Augusta, Baldwin, Calhoun, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Rogers, Smith, Telfair, Valdosta and Ware State Prisons, joined a peaceful work stoppage December 9, 2010, refusing to come out of their cells as part of a petition to the corrections department.

Among concerns expressed by inmates were not being paid for their labor; being charged excessive fees for basic medical treatments; language barriers suffered by Latino inmates; arbitrary, harsh disciplinary practices; too few opportunities for education and self improvement; and unjust parole denials.

Coalition leaders attending the press conference will be Mr. Dubose, Ajamu Baraka of the U.S. Human Rights Network, Pastor Kenneth Glasgow of The Ordinary People Society, Chara Jackson of the ACLU of Georgia, along with Abdul Sharrief Muhammad of the Nation of Islam.

The prisoners have been petitioning the corrections department for their human rights, including wages for labor, decent health care and nutritional meals, a halt to cruel and unusual punishments, and an end to unjust just parole decisions.

GA Prison Inmate Strike Enters New Phase, Prisoners Demand Human Rights, Education, Wages For Work

GA Prison Inmate Strike Enters New Phase, Prisoners Demand Human Rights, Education, Wages For Work
by Bruce A. Dixon, audio interview by Glen Ford

The historic strike of Georgia prisoners, demanding wages for their labor, educational opportunities, adequate health care and nutrition, and better conditions is entering a new phase. Strikers remain firm in their demands for full human rights, though after several days many have emerged from their cells, if only to take hot showers and hot food. Many of these, however, are still refusing their involuntary and unpaid work assignments.

A group that includes relatives, friends and a broad range of supporters of the prisoners on the outside has emerged. They are seeking to sit down with Georgia correctional officials this week to discuss how some of the just demands of inmates can begin to be implemented. Initially, Georgia-based representatives of this coalition supporting the prisoner demands included the Georgia NAACP, the Nation of Islam, the National Association for Radical Prison Reform, the Green Party of Georgia, and the Ordinary Peoples Society among others. Civil rights attorneys, ministers, community organizations and other prisoner advocates are also joining the group which calls itself the Concerned Coalition to Protect Prisoner Rights.

Read More @ Black Agenda Report

Prisoner Advocate Elaine Brown on Georgia Prison Strike: “Repression Breeds Resistance”

from Democracy Now
w/Amy Goodman

Prisoner Advocate Elaine Brown on Georgia Prison Strike:
“Repression Breeds Resistance”

At least four prisons in Georgia remain in lockdown five days after prisoners went on strike in protest of poor living and working conditions. Using cell phones purchased from guards, the prisoners coordinated the nonviolent protests to stage the largest prison strike in U.S. history. There are reports of widespread violence and brutality by the guards against the prisoners on strike. We speak to longtime prison activist Elaine Brown of the newly formed group Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights. [includes rush transcript]

Elaine Brown, Longtime prison activist and former chair of the Black Panther Party. Her books include The Condemnation of Little B: New Age Racism in America and A Taste of Power: A Black Woman’s Story.