Parole Board Rules change
On 22 May, in the wake of the John Worboys scandal, a change to the Parole Board Rules came into effect, meaning that anyone can now request a summary of the Board’s reasons for releasing or continuing to detain an indeterminate sentenced prisoner. This only applies to fresh decisions and is not retrospective.
Muslim prisoners fed non-halal meat
A relative of a prisoner at HMP Frankland has asked us to let readers know about an incident in April in which all prisoners were served with sausages that were not halal and may have contained pork. Muslim prisoners were understandably angry and the governor has been compelled to apologise.
Rule 39 problems
We have been told by prisoners and legal advisers that a number of prisons have recently been unlawfully interfering with confidential legal mail, purportedly in order to prevent the sending in of spice and other drugs. Remember that, unless the prison specifically suspects you individually, the law firm you are using or the piece of correspondence concerned, it has no right to open your legal mail.
Censorship of FRFI
Once again FRFI has heard from prison subscribers who are being told they cannot receive the paper. The current culprits are Warren Hill and Wymott prisons who, as usual, are relying on a combination of overtly political reasons (‘not suitable’, ‘subversive’ etc) and bureaucratic ones (‘not sent via the Business Hub’). As always, we will contest all attempts at censorship and, if forced to, will take legal action.
Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! 264 June/July 2018
