Long Lartin punitive regime
Alfredo Mavrici, who is a prisoner at Long Lartin in Worcestershire, contacted FRFI in December to tell us that he was the first prisoner to be put on a new ‘Segregation Basic Regime’. We reprint the regime details below.
Segregation Basic Regime
• Closed visits only
• One shower per week on a Sunday
• One telephone call on a Sunday
• Legal calls will not be allowed and contact will be by letter only
• No shared exercise
• No radio or TV
• Library trolley once a week
• No access to in-cell activities
• Maximum of £2.50 to spend per week and will have no access to private cash
• No access to education
• Bed pack to be made each day at breakfast and the bed pack must remain until the evening meal is served.
NON COMPLIANCE WITH THIS POLICY IS TO BE REPORTED AND DEALT WITH VIA THE ADJUDICATION SYSTEM.
The last condition refers to the rolling up of bedding and mattress into a military barracks style ‘bed pack’. So, a prisoner who can do nothing and go nowhere, cannot even spend the hours of solitary, slow-passing time lying on his bed.
Protesting against deaths of women prisoners
On 18 January, as gale-force winds battered Britain, a vigil led by Pauline Campbell and supported by RCG comrades and others took place outside Styal women’s prison. It was the fourth anniversary of the death of Sarah Campbell, who died in the ‘care’ of the prison in 2003. Sarah’s mother, Pauline, has received no apology from the Home Office, despite its admission of ‘failure in the duty of care’.
The vigil didn’t exactly go as planned as the 60mph gusts blocked roads on all sides and some supporters were unable to attend. Pauline used the opportunity, however, to write ‘Shame on the Home Office’ and other slogans on the dirt-covered sides of two prison vans, held up on the road. The screws were furious, and one quickly ran out of the van to rub off what we had written. Shortly after a cop (who was supposed to be diverting the traffic) ran frantically towards the scene and said we could be done for ‘graffiti’! This was, however, a short respite from what was otherwise a sombre day. Those Labour politicians responsible for Sarah Campbell’s death have admitted no guilt for their crimes and two more women, Caroline Powell and Lucy Wood, have already died in British prisons in January 2007. The fight goes on.
Louis Brehony
FRFI 195 February / March 2007
