FRFI 163 October / November 2001
At the end of a week which saw one massive blow after another to his struggle for freedom, Satpal Ram remained defiant. He told FRFI: ‘The fight goes on. We are as determined as ever. All this does is strengthen my resolve’.
Satpal was convicted of murder in 1987, following a racist attack the previous year, in which he had been the victim and had acted in self-defence. For 15 years he has been fighting to overturn the conviction.
Satpal’s ‘tariff’ (the minimum period a life-sentence prisoner must serve) expired in 1998, and the following year he applied for parole. On 27 October 2000 the Parole Board recommended his release. This is virtually unprecedented, as although life-sentence prisoners can legally be released once their tariff is complete, in almost every case they are expected to ‘progress’ through the different security categories and only be freed from an open prison. To make such a recommendation, the Parole Board must be satisfied that a prisoner poses no risk of commiting any further criminal offences.
Parole Board recommendations for the release of mandatory life-sentence prisoners have to be agreed by the Home Secretary. The recommendation to release Satpal was sent to the Home Office in October 2000. Home Secretary Jack Straw decided in January 2001 that Satpal would not be released. Instead, he would be moved to a Category C prison for three months, then to a Category D (open) prison for nine months, after which there would be a further Parole Board review. Any foot put wrong during this period and he would be back to Category B with release on effectively indefinite hold.
Straw’s decision was kept from Satpal and his legal team until May 2001. Satpal was then moved to Littlehey Category C prison, and from there to Sudbury open prison. Within a week of this move, an ‘incident’ led to his being moved back to a Category B gaol; the Criminal Cases Review Commission rejected Satpal’s submission for his case to be reheard by the Court of Appeal, and Satpal’s mother died of cancer. While at Littlehey he had been allowed compassionate visits to her with just one prison officer escorting him, and no handcuffs; but now when she was on her death-bed, he was told he could only see her if he agreed to be taken to the hospital in handcuffs, which he refused to do.
Satpal’s continued imprisonment is purely political. He remains in prison because Labour Party politicians refuse to let him out. Jack Straw has made it clear that Labour does not want black people in Britain to defend themselves against racist attacks, and that anyone who challenges the authority of the courts and the prisons, or stands up for their rights will be punished. Satpal’s position is equally clear and his supporters will continue to demand that the Parole Board’s recommendation is implemented and he is immediately released.
Send messages of support to Satpal Ram E94164, HMP Blakenhurst, Redditch, Worcestershire, or e-mail: SatpalRam@satpalram. connectfree.uk.com.
Fax protests about the CCRC decision to 0121 633 1804.
