Prisoner Support

from email, 17 December 2008: "This was so much easier to write in my head than it is now that I’m here with pen and paper in my hand. Turning 30 is supposed to be this big milestone. I remember when both my older brothers turned 30 when I was still a teenager. I remember my older friends turning 30 when I was just hitting twenty. It was a big deal to them. I think that in our society you are supposed to be somewhat settled by 30; have some idea of what you are doing with your life. Perhaps that’s why 30 doesn’t seem like such a big deal to me. I knew what I was doing with my life when I was 20: trying to make this world a better place and remind people what it means to be human living on a living planet..." more

from infoshop, 17 December 2008: "On December 4, 2008, Zachary Jenson was sentenced to probation (with 6 months time served) for his conviction on a single count of Conspiracy in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 371. Jenson’s conviction was the result of a plea agreement with the government, which he signed on July 18, 2006 – 6 months after his arrest. In signing this plea agreement, Jenson agreed to full cooperation with the government against his co-defendant, Eric McDavid, as well as full cooperation in any and all investigations in which the government deemed him useful..." more

from email, 8 December 2008: Jeff asked that his interview with political prisoner Grant Barnes be sent out in lieu of dispatch this month. Grant Barnes is currently serving a 12-year sentence in Colorado for setting fire to several SUVs. The interview will also be appearing in the upcoming January/February issue of the Earth First! Journal, so be sure to check that out as well. more

from Czytelnik CIA, 5 December 2008: "Anarchist Solidarity would like to appeal for contributions for donations for Tomek Wilkoszewski and other defendants. Tomek was sentenced to 15 years, has been in prison since 1996 and has been trying to get early release. In 2006, we made the last appeal for funds for Tomek... We were informed by ABC that all the money they had collected for Tomek has been spent so we are going to pay for legal fees from the fund we have for when he is released. This means that there is no money left over for Tomek, should he be released. We would not like to see this situation..." more

from email, 2 December 2008: Two of the five arrested remain in custody suspected of being responsible for the damage caused on the railroad lines of the high speed train (TGV) at the end of October and early November. The Paris Court of Appeals ordered today the release of three people suspected of having been involved in recent actions which caused damage to the railroad lines of the high speed train (TGV). The Court remanded into custody two others, one of them the alleged leader of the group. more

from infoshop, 1 December 2008: On Saturday November 8th 2008, the National Socialist Movement held an anti-immigrant rally and march in Jefferson City, MO. Decked out in their Nazi best, swastikas and bomber jackets were the color of the day... After an incident along the parade route before the march turned toward the rally area, I and one other person were arrested on the lawn of the capital building. Both of us were quickly cuffed and loaded into a police wagon and driven the few blocks to the Cole County Jail... more

from email, 28 November 2008: On the morning of November 11, 150 police officers, most of which belonged to the anti-terrorist brigades, surrounded a village of 350 inhabitants on the Millevaches plateau, before raiding a farm in order to arrest nine young people (who ran the local grocery store and tried to revive the cultural life of the village). Four days later, these nine people were sent before an anti-terrorist judge and “accused of criminal conspiracy with terrorist intentions.” ... The Ministry of the Interior “had congratulated local and state police for their diligence.” But let’s try to examine the facts a little more closely and grasp the reasons and the results of this “diligence.” more

from various sources, updated 1 December 2008: We are still trying to confirm this article with other sources... from libcom sources, 24 November 2008: "After 18 days 7,000 prisoners in greece stop their hunger strike after the ministry of justice concedes to a series of their demands, promising to release half the country's prison population by April 2009"... more

from various sources, updated 18 November 2008: via Antiauthoritarian Movement (Assembly of Thessaloniki): "We call for international actions in solidarity to the thousands of prisoners who struggle inside the greek prisons. 21 prisons in turmoil, 5,600 prisoners on hunger strike, another 3,000 on abstention from prison meals, 16 demands to be fulfilled and an International Call to Action. more

from bbc, 15 November 2008: A manhunt is under way in western Germany for a convicted drug dealer who escaped by mailing himself out of jail. The 42-year-old Turkish citizen - who was serving a seven-year sentence - had been making stationery with other prisoners destined for the shops. At the end of his shift, the inmate climbed into a cardboard box and was taken out of prison by express courier. His whereabouts are still unknown. more

from various sources, updated 18 November 2008: A French judge has slapped terrorism charges on seven people suspected of sabotaging France's rail network, including the 34-year-old alleged ringleader of the self-styled "invisible cell". If found guilty of heading a terrorist organisation, Julien Coupat, a former sociology student, faces up to 20 years in jail. more

from email, 14 Novmber 2008: "We just wanted to give you a quick update on Eric and then pass along a piece that he recently wrote. After enduring a month and a half with no access to phones or email, Eric finally got his phone access back on October 17 (and email soon after that). He had a hearing about the infraction he was being charged with - unpermitted contact with the media - on October 15, and due to Eric's determination to fight the charges based on errors made with the filing of the charges, the prison expunged the record and gave him his "privileges" back. This was a huge relief to Eric and his loved ones..." more

from email, 14 November 2008: On December 5, 2008 Jeff Luers will celebrate his 30th birthday and the beginning of his final year in prison. This is Jeff's 8th birthday in prison. Please take a moment to send Jeff a birthday card and a letter of support (address below). In addition, Jeff has requested the following books, so this would be the perfect opportunity to give him a gift. more