[Pnews] Civil Rights Violations and Retaliation Pile Up at NW Detention Center

[Prisoner News]

April 2, 2014


Retaliation and Civil Rights Violations Pile Up at the NWDC in Tacoma.

Remaining original hunger striker breaks fast and placed in retaliatory 
solitary confinement. Former isolated hunger striker "convicted" in a 
Kafkaesque hearing;  the twenty men placed in solitary confinement for 
hunger strike grows. Despite retaliation, peaceful protest continues.


Tacoma, WA -- Jesus Gaspar Navarro ended his 25-day hunger strike 
Tuesday morning with a full breakfast. An hour later, after speaking  on 
air on Spanish language 1360 am about the strike, he was removed from 
medical isolation to solitary confinement.  His administrative 
segregation order cited risk to self and the facility and participation 
in the hunger strike as reasons for his isolation. The conditions of 
isolation are not healthy for someone recovering from a nearly 
month-long fast.


Today Ramon Mendoza Pascual, who was held in medical isolation for two 
weeks, had a hearing on charges stemming from the fast. In the hearing 
the same ICE officer acted as translator, witness against him and 
adjudicator. He was convicted of inciting a group demonstration. Mr. 
Mendoza Pascual was sentenced to 20 days in solitary confinement. The 
conditions include near total deprivation: 23 hour a day lockdown with 
no human contact (one hour a day of solitary time in the prison yard), 
no use of telephone, no access to commissary account items, and no 
access to television or written materials.


Mr. Gaspar Navarro and Mr. Mendoza Pascual joined dozens of other hunger 
strikers who are in isolation in retaliation for the hunger strike, what 
detainees call "the hole." But they work to keep their spirits up. Ramon 
Mendoza Pascual observed while encouraging those on hunger strike, "They 
don't have enough holes for all of us."


Army vet Hassall Moses remains in isolation for advocating a work 
stoppage for work that is compensated at $1 per day and that ICE and GEO 
allege is voluntary.


Increasingly experts are coming forward with evidence that isolation is 
torture. In a recent New Yorker Magazine article public health 
researcher Dr. Atule Gawande summed up all the research: "simply to 
exist as a normal human being requires interaction with other people."

A 16-year resident of the US, Mr. Gaspar Navarro is sorely missing his 
large family, all U.S. citizens - a wife,  five children, and two 
grandchildren born since he was detained.  Ramon Mendoza Pascual and his 
wife of 13 years, Veronica, have three children, ages 12, 10, and 5. 
Ramon first came to the United States 11 years ago, in 2002, and works 
as a carpenter, finishing homes and hospitals. Before being detained, 
Ramon was a significant source of support to his family, and his wife 
now works three jobs seven days a week to make ends meet.


#


Petition on behalf of Hunger Strikers and latest releases available at: 
www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/03/10/detention-hunger-strike/ 
<http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/03/10/detention-hunger-strike/>


<http://www.notonemoredeportation.com/2014/03/10/detention-hunger-strike/>

Fund to support the families of human rights hunger strikers: 
http://www.gofundme.com/7orehg


April 5 Not1More Deportation Rally in support of the NWDC Human Rights 
Leaders - https://www.facebook.com/Not1MoreTacoma/posts/241708986031832




-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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