March prisoner list and letter-writing night

Our monthly list of political prisoners welcoming support has been updated and is published below. It’s packed with links for more info, please use them. If you have any corrections of additions please let us know. Solidarity.

March list (open office format): Prisoners list_March2011
March list (pdf): Prisoners list_March2011

Prisoner support letter-writing night – Wednesday 9 March
Our monthly public letter-writing night returns this month to Kebele social centre, at 14 Robertson Rd, Bristol BS5 6JY. We’ll be there from 7 to 9pm with list of prisoners, paper, pens and envelopes. Come along and help send messages of solidarity to people locked up in places near and far away. Plus lots of other info and interesting news available at Kebele.

Prisoners welcoming support list for February 2011

Here is our monthly list of UK & international prisoners welcoming support.
Open office versionPrisoners list_Feb2011
Pdf version Prisoners list_Feb2011
As ever, if you have corrections, updates or additions then email them in to us please.

9 February – prisoner support letter-writing night.
From 7 to 9pm at The Factory, 2-8 Cave St, BS2 8RU
We have lists of prisoners in the UK and internationally who welcome support, along with info on specific cases and campaigns. We will have paper, pens, envelopes and info, all you need to bring is some writing power, and perhaps a donation towards postage. Come along to find out more of what we do, and the benefits of prisoner support. Drop in for a bit or for the whole 2 hours. Hot drinks etc available.

Prisoner support newsletter and updates

January 2011 finds us enthused by recent events around the world that point to the coming year as being a potentially significant one in the struggle against capital and oppression. Events in Belarus, Algeria and a little more successfully in Tunisia, show that many ordinary people can only be pushed so far before fighting back. Despite 2 decades of dictatorship and tightly controlled police states, and despite the consequences of resisting, people in these 3 countries have shown amazing bravery and determination.

We remain enthused by the actions of students and youth in late 2010 across the UK, into Italy, and spreading across Europe, giving a small indication that the ongoing 2 year rebellion in Greece is slowly spreading an anti-capitalist virus that the state has no final antidote to. Encouraging in these struggles have been displays of solidarity with people arrested, and a very fast learning curve amongst protesters of the need for legal info & support.

Major political trials start in Greece

The 14 and 17 January sees the start of 3 major political trials in Greece, in one instance dating back to events over 7 years ago. In the face of widespread radical opposition and street protests, the right-wing Greek state appears determined to try and lock up as many radicals as it can, while it still can.

Interview with released Ottawa 3 defendant

The Ottawa 3 were charged with a firebombing in spring 2010, an action that was made in solidarity with the upcoming anti-G8/G20 protests in and around Toronto in late June. One of the 3 defendants, Joseph Roger Clement, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 3.5 years. The other 2 have been released.

An interview with one of the 3, Matthew Morgan Brown, has been recorded and released on an excellent and entertaining Sub MediaTV broadcast reviewing 2010. Link to video and campaign support info.

Jock Palfreeman appeal trial continues 19 January

New public statement issued by Jock!

Jock’s appeal against his sentencing/convictions for murder and attempted murder continued late into December 2010. His next court date is set for 19 January in Sofia, Bulgaria, when the judge is likely to hear pleas from both sides before retiring to consider his verdict – which may take a month or two?

Seasonal letter writing night for political prisoners

Bristol ABC’s monthly public letter-writing session sending seasonal solidarity greetings to prisoners around the world. For our last letter-writing bash of the year we will be in two places at the same time.

We’ll be at both venues from 7 to 9pm on Wednesday December 8. We should be on time, but if we aren’t it’ll be down to the latest students anti-fee rises and general anti-cuts protests that day. Hopefully we’ll see you at all events.

Prisoners requesting support December 2010

Here is our updated December 2010 list of international and UK political prisoners welcoming support.

Download a copy:
As a PDF: Prisoners list_Dec 2010
As an open office doc: Prisoners list_Dec 2010

Why not print off a copy and pass it around/pin it up at your workplace, community or social centre, local pub/bar or alternative bookshop/space? Get your friends or campaign group to adopt a prisoner, or just send a few seasonal cards of solidarity? Remember these people are in prison because of acting on their political beliefs. It could be you one day.

Callout for support for Belarus anarchists facing repression

The following callout was published on the Moscow ABC site by the Belarus ABC & friends of the arrested:

In connection with the situation about repression of anarchists and social activists getting worse WE – anarchists, friends and nearests of repressed ones – are calling you to take part in Days of Solidarity with Belarus Anarchists on the 10-13 December 2010. We consider that only international protests against repressions of independent activists trying to change things in Belarus for the better are able to make Lukashenko (Belarus president since 1994) give the go-ahead to stop mass arrests and to close political cases of Dedok, Frantskevich and Vetkin.

Greek prisoners launch new mass action

Echoing the large mobilisations of November 2008, when prisoners went on meal abstaining/ hunger strikes across the country, a fresh wave of mobilisations in the Greek prisons began last Monday 29 November, as first reported here.

Solidarity poster for Dimitrakis: "What's breaking into a bank compared with founding a bank?" Bertolt Brecht (the Beggars Opera)

This comes as there is a fresh escalation of struggles across various sectors in Greece. December 6 marks the 2nd anniversary of the murder of the teenager Alexis, that led to weeks of street battles. There are then further protests leading up the next Greek general strike on 15 December. Many anarchists & anti-authoritarians in prison face trials in the next few months, starting with the appeal trial of Giannis Dimitrakis on 6 December – read the callout for solidarity. Perhaps unsurprisingly, over the last couple days there has been a huge crackdown by the state in major Greek cities with searches and arrests.