Solidarity with prisoners has been an intrinsic part of the Revolutionary Communist Group’s political work since the organisation was founded in the 1970s. At that time we were strongly focused on the Irish struggle against British imperialism and supporting the prisoners of war held hostage by the British state formed a central part of our solidarity activity. Since that time we have consistently supported political prisoners fighting for their freedom, as well as highlighting the punitive conditions in which all prisoners in Britain, the US and other imperialist countries are detained. During the Covid pandemic this work has never been more vital:
In Glasgow, our comrades have been campaigning to raise awareness of the nine Irishmen and women detained in Maghaberry prison in the occupied north of Ireland under terrorism legislation since August 2020, and in particular of the imprisonment alongside them of Scottish-Palestinian doctor Issam Hijjawi, who suffers from multiple health conditions but has repeatedly been refused bail.
In Nottingham, one of the demands of the Nottingham United Against Racism campaign, set up by the RCG and others last summer during the Black Lives Matter protests, is for an end to the invidious open-ended indeterminate sentence for public protection, and Nottingham prison – where there have been several Covid outbreaks – has been one of the focuses of their protest.
In northeast London, on 13 March comrades held a public speak-out in solidarity with political prisoners under the heading ‘Break the Chains’, and will be holding another event on 24 April, the birthday of US political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, who himself tested positive for Covid on 3 March. These speak-outs are also highlighting the situation of communist rapper Pablo Hasel, imprisoned by the Spanish state for ‘exalting terrorism’ and ‘insulting the Crown’, as well as demonstrating our solidarity with Basque, Catalan, Kurdish and Palestinian political prisoners.
Free Mumia!
Statement from the Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Defence Campaign UK:
‘Mumia Abu Jamal, writer, former Black Panther, award winning radio journalist, and political prisoner tested positive for Covid-19 on 3 March. Mumia has been unjustly imprisoned in the USA for nearly 40 years but never has his situation been more precarious, his life been more at risk or his imprisonment more dangerous than it is now. He was sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, this sentence finally being changed to life imprisonment without parole in 2011 following a vigorous and widespread international campaign. Now he is facing another type of death sentence – Covid-19.’
‘Denied adequate medical care and treatment during his imprisonment and particularly after contracting Hep C in 2016, Mumia’s health has suffered in recent years. Like many elders, Afrikan-American prisoners in particular, he is at high risk of suffering the worst effects of Covid-19. He will only receive adequate healthcare when he is released from prison.’
Free Basque prisoners!
Extract from a comrade’s speech on 13 March:
‘A few months ago we saw first-hand the harshness of the Spanish and French states in the Basque Country. The Civil Guard detained three people, who were accused of being allegedly related to something from ten years ago. They were released awaiting trial. There was a fourth arrest one week later, in this case, in Ipar Euskal Herria, the area of the Basque Country occupied by France. These arrests are an exercise in perpetuating the national oppression suffered by the Basque Country; the political powers of the Spanish and French states deliberately use repression to normalise state oppression and violence, as well as to highlight the retribution they will mete out in response to any emancipatory project, and also to politically unite and mobilise French and Spanish national identities.
‘Currently, there are more than 200 political prisoners linked to ETA, and more than 450 Basque political prisoners in total imprisoned between Spain and France. In October-November 2020, long-term political prisoners Iñaki Bilbao and Patxi Ruiz spent more than a month on hunger and communication strike, faithful to the ideals they have defended all their lives. Both have been in prison for more than 25 years and during all those years they have seen countless struggles. There is currently a demand for an amnesty for prisoners, but this is not just a formal matter and requires a comprehensive resolution of the conflict, which necessarily involves the construction of a free and socialist Basque Country.’
Gora Iraultza sozialista!
Gora Euskal Herria Askatuta!
Help send FRFI to prisoners!
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! is the only left newspaper in Britain which reports regularly on the struggles of prisoners. We send the paper free of charge to all prisoners who request it. Among those currently on our mailing list are Mumia, Leonard Peltier and Julian Assange, as well as many others in Britain, Ireland, the US and elsewhere. Before their release from US prisons in 2014, we sent FRFI to the Cuban 5, who told us how much they appreciated receiving revolutionary international news. Please help this work by funding a subscription for a prisoner. You can find the link on our website at https://www.revolutionarycommunist.org/our-paper/prisoners-subscription
Saturday 24 April, 1.30pm
Protest: Free Political Prisoners! Break the Chains!
Meet opposite Dalston Kingsland station for march to Clissold Park.
