Super-Max Prisoner on Hunger Strike

  

 [UPDATE 11/7: According to the Lynds, Rayshan is getting medical attention and has resumed eating, but still wants to raise awareness and organize around the lack of proper medical care at OSP]

Rayshan Watley, #347-921, is a prisoner at the Ohio State Penitentiary.  On July 2, 2010, he went on a hunger strike because he was denied treatment recommended by medical specialists.

   As of October 26, 2012, Mr Watley is once again going on hunger strike for being denied medical care. See the complaint he filed in the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas (attached).

   Please call Warden David Bobby at OSP (330) 743-0700 and tell him you support Rayshan and all other prisoners at OSP getting better medical care.

 
    The handwritten complaint is difficult to read. However, based on the allegations of the complaint, it would appear that Mr. Watley is being denied adequate medical care at OSP and that some of his complaints are of a kind that would affect other prisoners as well as himself. Alice Lynd has summarized the following issues alleged in Mr. Watley's complaint:

Gender Anarky Prisoners End Hunger Strike After Retaliatory Transfers

This update, posted October 25th is from the Gender Anarky blog:


A press release we received from Amazon and Cat today announced the end of the Gender Anarky hunger strike at R.J. Donovan Correctional Facility:

“Prison’s latest move changes battleground
the transsexual hunger strike at the r.j. donovan prison in california that was the initiative of gender anarky has ended.  the two girls on strike, amazon and cat, are now eating.
the change in the battlefield came as the prison moved to transfer both girls.  at this, a tactical decision was made to end the strike and shift tactics.  it would have been futile to oppose the transfers, as prison rules and courts give great discretion to prisoncrats in matters of transfers.  it also gives them leeway to act tyrannically with transfer to disrupt and retaliation against in-prison activism. the girls are known to be radicals who struggle for transsexual medicine and human rights. they are also aware that cat and amazon are partners, lovers, and resent it.  so by transferring the girls out they got rid of radicalism and lesbianism in a single stroke. the transfer hearings were a sham and a farce, typical kangaroo court, as prisons everywhere are notorious for. but it will not deter the girls in their insurrection against prisons, government, and civilization. the girls have accepted that they will be separated soon, for how long they are not sure. it could be one or two or more years that they end up on the same yard together again.  amazon is a lifer with some years to go, cat will be getting out in about eight years. but they also keep uppermost that the insurrection is not about individuals but about masses of people.  they will mourn when they are separated, while continuing to sharpen their weapons of resistance to the tyranny of government and prisons, they the civilization that spawned them, utterly degenerate and putrid to the core and deserving not an iota less of merciless destruction. wherever they are sent, the girls will continue on the path of anarkist insurrection, spreading the word, and always recruiting.

amazon and cat send their affectionate love and admiration to all who resist civilization, and a special embrace to all those who sent letters and cards and zeens during the hunger strike and so much love and support, letting them know that they were not alone.  your concern for them is matched with theirs for you.

to be sure, the girls continue to conspire and hopefully can maneuver themselves back together.  the details of this cannot be revealed publicly lest the enemy know.  but for the purpose of this communique the hunger strike is hereby terminated.

messages about the developing situation with amazon and cat will be posted in future press releases.

**the prison has begun to harrass our mail from supporters. a letter from [a comrade] in oakland was marked ‘return to sender’ by the pig in the housing block and sent back to the mailroom for no noted reason. but the mailroom sent it back to the block again and it was only after a comment to cat by another pig that cat was able to track it down and get it. if anyone gets mail you sent us marked ‘rts’ simply resend it.  these kinds of things are a typical fuck-with-them ploy on the part of the prison department’s counter-insurgency.  it will fail.

love and hugs to all,
amazon and cat"

JPay Petition

The ODRC is privatizing the administration of prisoner commissary accounts. This is a terrible new policy that has upset many prisoners we're in contact with, and shared thousands of prisoner-visitors personal information to an unreliable private company. PLEASE sign the petition, circulate it, and scan a copy to redbirdprisonabolition at gmail dot com. Here is where you can find the ODRC policy on this: http://www.drc.ohio.gov/web/inmate_funds.htm

Here are the concerns as stated by prisoners:

"Starting September 17, 2012, JPay, a private corporation took over processing all prisoners’ money orders. We object to this new policy for the following reasons:
1. JPay will charge a processing fee of $1.50. This fee amounts to an illegal tax on prisoners’ family and supporters. The legislature must approve all taxes. There is no guarantee that JPay won’t increase this tax in the future.
2. Prior to September 17th, interest from prisoner’s accounts goes into the “I&E” fund, that helps pay for prisoners’ entertainment, recreation equipment, and going home funds. The new scheme allows JPay, a private company, to invest the prisoner’s money and take interest as profits. What will happen with the “I&E” funded programs? Who is insuring that the prisoners’ money will be safe if JPay’s investments fail and they go bankrupt?
3. How can prisoners resolve complaints with JPay? Would it cost a prisoner to mail a complaint to JPay?
4. JPay's system is only accessible to prisoner visitors and with the use of internet connection. This reduces access for friends and family, particularly elderly, low income and non-visitors from being able to send funds or maintain connection with prisoners.
5. Most importantly, why has the ODCR handed over personal information of prisoners’ friends and families to this private company? That is illegal. ODRC claims JPay will not have access to the information, but it is impossible for JPay to process and verify the authenticity of the funds without this information." To sign this petition, (yes, there are two) go here.

And for Sean Swain's article on this issue, read his blog here.

Prisoner Art Show!

WHEN: Friday, October 16 from 6pm to 10pm
WHERE: ILLIO! (It Looks Like It's Open) 13 E Tulane Road, Columbus, OH

Yep, we're doin it again with MORE art from prisoners all over Ohio! Bring your family and friends! There will be tons of new work that was sent to us over the past year PLUS all this cool stuff:

SILENT AUCTION

FOODS AND DRINKS including goodies from Nina Baked!! (http://www.facebook.com/ninahasbaked) 

MUSIC from: Ryan Harvey (http://ryanharveymusic.wordpress.com/) political riot folk, holla Lycka Till (http://lyckatill.bandcamp.com/releases) swedish political folk punk with kickass trumpet 

GROUP ART

READINGS of prisoner writing and some other surprises . . . Hang out, look at some nice things, groove to some tunes and help support people working against the criminal injustice system!

Hosted by Red Bird Prison Abolition

Sign the Cleveland Four Petition...

Say NO to JPay!

Sign this petition to stop the illegal privatization of prisoner accounts.

The Ohio Department of Retribution and Corruption recently illegally handed over the personal information of 700,000 Ohioans to a private corporation called JPay. They also decided that this corporation can charge fees on anyone sending money to friends on the inside (functionally a tax, which is also illegal). They also decided that JPay can invest prisoner's money and receive profits on the investment. Those returns used to go to programming for prisoners.


Our friend Sean Swain was organizing and speaking against these changes when Mansfield Correctional put him in a suicide cell with no heat, clothes, or writing materials for 5 days. He's still in the hole.

URGENT: Support Gender Anarky collective member Amazon and inmate Catarina on DAY 8 of hunger strike

Reposted from: http://genderanarky.wordpress.com/2012/09/30/urgent-support-gender-anarky-collective-member-amazon-and-inmate-catarina-on-day-8-of-hunger-strike/

 

Amazon, an anti-civilization trans insurgent associated with the Gender Anarky collective within the CA prison system, and her comrade Catarina LaPre are on the 8th day of hunger strike against the unfair treatment of trans women within R.J Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego County.  Prison officials refuse to take Amazon and Cat off of single-cell status because of their gender identity.  A letter from Amazon states:

“this is an emergency letter about the situation with trans girls here… I’m trying to get off single-cell status here and cell up with cat.  my case worker was supposed to start the process two months ago but she’s a feminist and hating on us and don’t wanna do it.  so we went on hunger strike to force the issue.  we have been on a hunger strike since 9-21, didn’t eat dinner that day and have not eaten since.  this is day [eight at this point*]… they have been trying to get us to eat but we won’t.  today cat started started feeling fucked up and vomiting water…

so we need some direct action support in this, for the prison to double-cell me, and get on the phone to the warden here, warden paramo… regarding why they are discriminating against transwomen here…  Gender Anarky and militia goes to the oppressor in confrontation and leaves a hard mark.  so show these motherfuckers who are the bitches with the most.”

Support Amazon and Cat!
Call Warden Paramo the Richard J. Donovan Correctional Facility: (619) 661-6500
Demand that Eva Contreraz (C-45857)and Catarina LaPre (K-67313) be take off single-cell status and be allowed to share a cell.  Demand that an end to the discriminatory housing policy against trans women in the correctional facility.

Attack!:
Gender Anarky has uncompromisingly attacked transphobic violence within the prison system, and have consistently called for directly attacking the systems of domination that the make living conditions of trans women, both inside and outside prison, a living hell.  Attack the institutions that maintain the miserable system of gender in solidarity with Gender Anarky and the continuing hunger strike.

Write to Amazon and Cat:
Let them know you support their struggle against the the prison administration.  They can be reached at:

Eva Contreraz C-45857
PO Box 799003 (C15-223)
San Diego, CA 92179-9003

Catarina LePre K-67313
PO Box 799003
San Diego, CA 92179-9003