From: NCP-AT-geocities.com Date: Wed, 12 Feb 1997 18:43:22 +0000 Subject: Letter from POWS in Special Secure Unit, Belmarsh Jail, England >Date: Tue, 11 Feb 1997 20:09:20 +0000 >From: RM_Distribution <rmlist-reply-AT-irlnet.com> >To: Multiple recipients of RM_Distribution-f - Sent by <rmlist-reply-AT-irlnet.com> >This letter from the 11 remand Irish Political Prisoners >held in Belmarsh Special Secure Unit (SSU) is an update to >our letter of September 1996 into the conditions of Belmarsh >SSU. > >Issued by: Pat Martin, Eoin Morrow, Gerry Hanratty, Martin >Murphy, John Crawley, Donal Gannon, Frankie Rafferty, Jimmy >Murphy, Brian McHugh, Pat Kelly and Michael Phillips > >Belmarsh Prison SSU. > > >Legal Visits > >Seven of the prisoners, who were arrested in July 1996, have >been committed for trial at the Old Bailey (8th April 1997). >They were processed for arraignment without ever having the >basic aid of normal open visits with their solicitors. The >other four prisoners, who were arrested in September 1996, >are due to be committed for trial next month, again without >the necessary open legal visits, enabling them to be advised >or to give instructions to their legal counsel. All eleven >remand prisoners are refusing to accept the imposition of >closed legal visits. The rationale for such a stance is as >follows: > >(a) On advice from numerous solicitors who feel strongly >that we have the right to unimpeded legal advice. > >(b) Because it is impossible to conduct any defence via >closed visits given the complicated nature of the case(s) >and case files. > >(c) The closed visit regime is a direct impediment on the >possibility of a fair trial. > >(d) The use of closed visits is in the main directed >against Irish Nationalists. > >(e) British Prison Rules (37(1)) state that all legal >advisers of a prisoner shall be afforded reasonable >facilities for legal visits. > >(f) European Prison Rules (92(1-2)) also state that >facilities for communication and visits must be reasonable >and held in humane conditions. > > >Given this set of circumstances we do not feel that we have >any option but to refuse closed legal visits. We believe it >would be impossible to conduct a proper defence under such >conditions. Our solicitors are currently taking legal action >to secure the right to have open legal visits. > >Family Visits > >We are also subjected to closed family visits. There is >serious concern about the likely psychological effects of >the closed visit regime on children and the negative effect >such visits have on general familial bonds. The prison >service maintains that closed visits are a security >necessity, but when one looks at the sequence of procedures >before and after an open visit it is clear that security >reasoning is a fudge. > >Before an open visit a prisoner is body frisked. He then >goes through a metal detecting portal. Next he has a metal >detecting wand passed over the entire body. Next he >undergoes a full strip search, and finally changes into a >complete set of sterile clothing (clothing and shoes a >prisoner had no contact with prior to the visit). On the >visit itself a member of the prison staff sits beside the >prisoner. When the visit is over the same search procedures >are carried out in reverse. > >It has been admitted privately by prison staff that there is >no possibility of giving or taking any illicit items from an >open visit under present security procedures. This fact begs >the question that if there is no security problem for open >visits then why are closed visits enforced upon us. > >Conclusion > >The present SSU regime in Belmarsh and other SSUs - >Whitemoor and Full Sutton) have the potential for very >serious deterioration in domestic/familial bonds, e.g. >father/child bonding and psychological health difficulties >of prisoners' families, children and prisoners themselves. > >It is also damaging to our health. The total lack of >unimpeded sunlight will cause calcium and vitamin D >deficiency, and the oppressive regime is a source of >constant stress. Such conditions when endured for prolonged >periods are seriously damaging. > > > >----------------------------------------------- >>From RM_Distribution, an Irish Republican news >and information service. http://irlnet.com/rmlist/ > > > > New Communist Party of Britain Homepage http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/2853 A new service for the Working Class! Workers of all countries Unite!
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