<html>
<body>
<font size=3><br>
Press Release<br><br>
<b>Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights<br><br>
Coalition of NAACP, Nation of Islam, Elected Officials, Prisoner
Activists<br><br>
Demand Governor Perdue and DOC Commissioner Brian Owens<br><br>
Stop Violence Against Striking Prisoners<br>
PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY <br><br>
December 13, 2010, 3:30 p.m.<br>
State Capitol<br>
100 Washington Street<br>
Atlanta, Georgia<br><br>
</b>NAACP State Chairman Edward Dubose joined by representatives from the
Nation of Islam, elected officials and others, who have formed the
<b>Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights</b>,<b> </b>will hold
a press conference at 3:30 p.m. today at the Capitol to urge Governor
Perdue and Department of Corrections Commissioner Owens to halt the
violent tactics being employed by guards against thousands of striking
prisoners. They have reached out to Perdue and Owens for meetings
earlier in the day.<br><br>
Begun on <b>December 9, 2010,</b> the prisoners’ <b>peaceful protest has
been historic </b>in scope and in the <b>unity of thousands of black,
brown, white, Muslim, Christian, Rastafarian prisoners</b>, including
those at <b>Augusta, Baldwin, Calhoun, Hancock, Hays, Macon, Rogers,
Smith, Telfair, Valdosta and Ware State Prisons.</b> <b>For five
days, now, these men have shut down all activity at most of these
facilities.<br><br>
</b>
The prisoners are petitioning the DOC for their <b>human rights</b>,
including being <b>paid for their labor</b>, provided <b>educational
opportunities, decent health care</b> and <b>nutritional meals</b>, a
<b>halt to cruel and unusual punishments</b>, and <b>just parole
decisions</b>.<br><br>
While the prisoners’ protest has remained non-violent, <b>the DOC has
used violent measures to force the men back to work</b>under the banner
of law, despite the <b>13<sup>th</sup> Amendment’s abolition of
slavery</b>. At<b> Augusta State Prison</b>, several inmates were
brutally ripped from their cells by <b>CERT Team guards</b> and beaten,
resulting in <b>broken ribs, one man beaten beyond recognition</b>.
At <b>Telfair,</b> the <b>Tactical Squad roughed up prisoners and
destroyed all their property.</b> At <b>Macon</b> and <b>Hays State
Prisons</b>, Tactical Squads have menaced the men for days, <b>removing
some to the “hole,” the wardens ordering heat and hot water turned
off.</b> <b>Tear gas</b> has been used to force men out of their
cells at various prisons, while guards patrol grounds with <b>assault
rifles.<br><br>
</b> <br><br>
<b>The DOC has made itself unavailable to the press and prisoner family
members</b>, creating fears that, behind closed doors, the Department
will escalate this peaceful protest to a <b>violent
confrontation.</b> The Coalition is <b>urging the DOC to come to
the table in peace to address the prisoners’ concerns</b>.<br><br>
“Due to the harsh conditions faced behind bars and the need for prison
reform, the men are staying in their cells as a form of peaceful
protest. <b>No officials or staff have been threatened and no
property has been damaged</b>. These men’s requests are reasonable
and in accord with the <b>basic respect and treatment every human being
deserves</b>,” said <b>Elaine Brown</b>, a social activist and former
Black Panther Party leader. Brown is spearheading the <b>Concerned
Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights</b>. More information about
the Coalition can be found on its Facebook page.<br><br>
# # #<br><br>
Contact: Concerned Coalition to Respect Prisoners’ Rights
<a href="mailto:concernedcoalitionga@gmail.com">
concernedcoalitionga@gmail.com</a><br><br>
<br><br>
</font><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<font size=3 color="#FF0000">Freedom Archives<br>
522 Valencia Street<br>
San Francisco, CA 94110<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#008000">415 863-9977<br><br>
</font><font size=3 color="#0000FF">
<a href="http://www.freedomarchives.org/" eudora="autourl">
www.Freedomarchives.org</a></font><font size=3> </font></body>
</html>