[sixties-l] Fwd: This is inhuman By R2K Legal

From: radman (resist@best.com)
Date: Fri Aug 04 2000 - 19:35:39 CUT

  • Next message: radman: "[sixties-l] Fwd: Protesters take aim at Philly and L.A."

    >FROM http://www.phillyimc.org
    >
    >Friday August 04, @12:50PM
    >
    >This is inhuman
    >By R2K Legal
    >
    >Demonstrators continue to demand medical treatment, access to lawyers,
    >access to phones, and timely release as constitutional violations persist in
    >Philadelphia jails.
    >Outside, solidarity actions are happening, with rallies planned at Franklin
    >Park at 12 noon and 7 p.m. Activists also plan to collect signatures for a
    >petition demanding the release of jailed demonstrators.
    >Arrestees have now been held for over 60 hours without arraignment, some
    >without phone calls or contact with their lawyers. Detainees report missing
    >paperwork, and arraignments with incomplete or slipshod records. Philadephia
    >continues to restrict R2K lawyers, allowing only a total of three access to
    >all six detention sites.
    >R2K Legal has documented 381 confirmed arrests, not including members of the
    >Int'l Action Center and School of Americas Watch (15 more). Additionally,
    >there are people we have not heard from (we estimate up to 30), but due to
    >restrictions on protester's access to telephones, there is really no way to
    >tell. Of these people, approximately 60 have accepted "Release on Own
    >Recognizance" or "Signed On Bail". Solidarity remains strong, with
    >protesters coming to consensus on and communicating their demands. While not
    >everyone still imprisoned is participating, most are.
    >Guards, police, and administrators continue to attack protestors in jail,
    >seeking to demoralize and divide. There has been one sexual assault, by a
    >female officer who pulled and twisted a prisoner's penis. One released
    >activist reports men have been dragged face down through a 'trash trough'
    >containing refuse, spittle, and urine. Arrestees have been verbally abused,
    >punched, kicked, thrown against walls, bloodied, dragged naked across
    >floors.
    >Outside pressure on the Philadelphia Health Commission has been effective at
    >improving medical conditions. Diabetics, epileptics, and asthmatics continue
    >to be denied medication. Trauma and psychological stress are evident.
    >Released prisoners consistently report beatings during arrest and beatings
    >in jail, with highest charges pressed on those most damaged. Supporters are
    >asked to phone Mayor John Street at 215.686.2181 and demand release of these
    >political prisoners.
    >Prosecuters have set unreasonably high bail for demonstrators: from $15,000
    >to $30,000 for most. Two individuals have bail of $1,000,000, an amount
    >typically reserved for serial killers, not puppet makers. "I consider this a
    >civil rights catastrophe of the first order," R2K legal counsel Ron McGuire
    >stated.
    >Solidarity tactics include singing, chanting, story telling, puppet making,
    >along with a 150-person-strong hunger strike. Some have been on hunger
    >strike for as long as 56 hours. Three men have fasted without water for 28
    >hours.
    >R2K Legal is currently seeking legal redress, including a writ of habeus
    >corpus and a possible temporary restraining order against particularly
    >violent officers.



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