Protest to Protect Prisoners on Hunger Strike!

The following has gone out over the Prisoner Hungerstrike Solidarity Coalition’s Emergency Response Network. Please take a moment to make a call or send an email, to protest the retaliation being directed at the prisoner representatives:

Greetings to all Pledge signers,

Thank you for your support of the hunger strikers. As you may have heard, the hunger strike began on July 8 with California 30,000 imprisoned people refusing to eat. Hundreds of media outlets have been covering this historic event.

The California Department of Corrections and ‘Rehabilitation’ (CDCr) has begun to retaliate against the vocal spokespeople for the hunger strikers, who are located in Pelican Bay and Corcoran State Prisons. Our Pledge of Resistance Alert today will focus on the extreme brutality of prison authorities against the Representatives of the hunger strikers, who are
in Pelican Bay State Prison.

The CDCr is also trying to undermine legal and community support of the hunger strikers. They have just issued ‘banning’ orders to Marilyn McMahon, an attorney for many of the Reps in Pelican Bay, denying her access to her clients.

Most likely, prison officials will not be thrilled to get your phone calls and emails, so please be determined and polite in trying to send your phone and email messages. Whether you get a voice or a voice mail, they will know you are watching them, and want them to Stop the Torture.

RETALIATION AGAINST PELICAN BAY PRISONER REPRESENTATIVES:

On July 11, PBSP prison authorities removed 14 prisoner Representatives from their solitary confinement (SHU) cells and placed them in Administrative Segregation (Ad Seg) cells which are even worse than the SHU. The hunger strikers, many of whom are elder men and have severe chronic illnesses, are dressed in summer clothing, but the CDC has turned on air conditioning full blast, leaving some of the men sick and freezing.

Meanwhile, the prison officials have raided their SHU cells and confiscated their
legal materials, including attorney-client protected documents pertaining to their highly publicized federal class action lawsuit against the state of California (Ruiz v. Brown).

RESPONSE OF THE HUNGER STRIKE REPRESENTATIVES:

“On July 11, 2013, we were placed in Administrative Segregation (Ad-Seg), where we are subjected to more tortuous conditions than in the SHU. Despite this diabolical act on the part of CDCR intended to break our resolve and hasten our deaths, we remain strong and united! We are 100% committed to our cause and will end our peaceful action when the CDCR signs a legally binding agreement meeting our demands.”

NON-ACTION OF GOVERNOR BROWN

Governor Brown has been completely silent on the hunger strike while it has gained
international news attention. He is now taking a vacation in Europe, visiting, among
other places, Dachau concentration camp in Germany, and promoting California’s environmental advancements to selected European audiences.

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP STOP THE TORTURE:

Tell the PBSP prison authorities to return the 14 prisoner Representatives to their cells. (Their names and prison numbers are at the end of this email.)
Return all their property, especially the legal documents guards have confiscated.
Lift the ban on their attorney, Marilyn McMahon, so that she can again access her clients.
Medically monitor the men to ensure that the prison has not destroyed their health!

1. Contact Pelican Bay Warden Gregory Lewis:
phone: 707-465-1000 x5001
email: Gregory.Lewis@cdcr.ca.gov

2. Copy to Dr. Jeffrey Beard, Secretary of CDCR
phone: 916-323-6001 (alternatively 916-445-5073)
fax: 916-442-2637
letter: Dr. Jeffrey Beard, Secretary CDCR, 1515 S Street, 5th Floor; Sacramento, California 94283

3. Copy to Assistant Warden at Pelican Bay, Rawland Swift
phone: 465-1000 x6254
email: RSwift@cdcr.ca.gov

4. Back up: Public Information Officer at PBSP Christopher Acosta
office phone: 707-465-9040
cell phone: 707-951-0350

THE 14 PRISONER REPRESENTATIVES:

1. Todd Ashker C58191 2. Arturo Castellanos C17275
3. Sitawa/ R.N Dewberry C35671 4. Antonio Guillen P81948
5. Danny Troxell B76578 6. George Franco D46556
7. Ronnie Yandell V27927 8. Paul Redd, Jr. B72683
9. James Baridi Williamson D34288 10. Alfred Sandoval D61000
11. Louis Powell B59864 12. Alex Yrigollen H32421
13. Gabriel Huerta C80766 14. Frank Clement D07919

Please write to the Reps.

Include one sheet of paper, one envelope and one
loose stamp so they can write someone outside the walls. You can address your letter
with the person’s name & prison number; Pelican Bay State Prison/SHU;
PO Box 7500. Crescent City, 95532.

Mr. Arturo Castellanos may not be able to receive your letter. He’s on ‘restricted mail,’ by the prison authorities.

Thank you so much for your solidarity,
Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity Coalition: Pledge of Resistance work group
(for more info, www.prisonerhungerstrikesolidarity.wordpress.com)