Rebels incarcerated in prisons across the nation declare a nationwide strike in response to the riot in Lee Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison in South Carolina. Seven comrades lost their lives when prison officials turned their backs on a riot they provoked. We are demanding humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern day slavery.

• Original Press Release by Jailhouse Lawyers Speak
• Active Call In Campaigns (Phone Zaps)
• Letter Writing Against Retaliation
• Prison Strike Resources
• News Roundup of Prison Strike Activity
• Donate to the strike fund

Learn more at http://sawarimi.org/national-prison-strike

 

Demands

1. Immediate improvements to the conditions of prisons and prison policies that recognize the humanity of imprisoned men and women.
2. An immediate end to prison slavery. All persons imprisoned in any place of detention under United States jurisdiction must be paid the prevailing wage in their state or territory for their labor.
3. The Prison Litigation Reform Act must be rescinded, allowing imprisoned humans a proper channel to address grievances and violations of their rights.
4. The Truth in Sentencing Act and the Sentencing Reform Act must be rescinded so that imprisoned humans have a possibility of rehabilitation and parole. No human
   shall be sentenced to Death by Incarceration or serve any sentence without the possibility of parole.
5. An immediate end to the racial overcharging, over-sentencing, and parole denials of Black and brown humans. Black humans shall no longer be denied parole because the victim of the crime was white, which is a particular problem in southern states.
6. An immediate end to racist gang enhancement laws targeting Black and brown humans.
7. No imprisoned human shall be denied access to rehabilitation programs at their place of detention because of their label as a violent offender.
8. State prisons must be funded specifically to offer more rehabilitation services.
9. Pell grants must be reinstated in all US states and territories.
10. The voting rights of all confined citizens serving prison sentences, pretrial detainees, and so-called “ex-felons” must be counted. Representation is demanded. All voices count.

Endorsers

• Jailhouse Lawyers Speak
• Millions for Prisoners
• Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee
• The People’s Consortium

See full list of endorsers.

Add your organization’s name to the list by emailing prisonstrikemedia@gmail.com

Support the Strike

• Educate yourself and others about the strike demands
  • Read the Prison Strike zine
  • Listen to interview with Jailhouse Lawyers Speak organizers
  • Follow #August21 and #prisonstrike on social media
• Endorse the strike by emailing your organization’s statement to prisonstrikemedia@gmail.com
• Donate to the strike fund
• Spread word of the strike both inside and outside – print out stickers, flyers and posters
• Organize a phone cluster in preparation for phone zaps
• Amplify incarcerated voices via social media using the #August21 and #prisonstrike hashtags
• Join or organize a solidarity demo