prisons
1892-1894: The prison revolt and massacre at Cayenne
A short history of the brutal repression at the Cayenne island prison camp in French Guyana. A rebellion against a prisoner's murder was followed by a massacre of anarchists by the authorities.
The Iles du Salut are situated off Cayenne, in what was French Guyana in South America. These three prison islands – of which Devil's Island is the most infamous - were reserved by the French authorities for hard cases, for repeated escapees and for political prisoners. In the course of time many anarchists were sent to these hell-holes.
Girier, Anthelme, 1869-1898
A short biography of French anarchist orator Anthelme Girier, who was imprisoned and involved in the revolt at the Iles du Salut penal colony.
Anthelme Girier
aka Jean Baptiste Lorion, born 1869 - France, died 16 November 1898 - French Guyana
1921-1953: A chronology of Russian anarchism
A brief timeline of the anarchist movement and anarchist activity in the USSR, and its repression by Soviet authorities following the Russian Revolution.
“But we do not fear you or your hangmen. Soviet 'justice' may kill us, but you will never kill our ideals. We shall die as anarchists and not as bandits.”
- The anarchist Fedor Petrovich Machanovski at his trial before the Petrograd Revolutionary Tribunal, 13th and 22nd December 1922
Prisoner support guide
A guide to providing support to prisoners in UK jails, from letter-writing and visits to sending reading materials and more.
Adopt a prisoner
If you’re active in a group or campaign why not choose one or two prisoners to consistently support. Pass cards round meetings, send useful stuff, knock up a flyposter and get their case some publicity if they could use it, get in touch with the prisoner’s support group if there is one. Of course you can take this on as an individual, too.
Starting out
Prison survival guide
A guide to surviving prison or preparing yourself to go to prison, with tips on staying safe, prison etiquette, how to deal with guards and other prisoners, how to get involved in organising and struggle, and more.
Introduction
Imprisonment as a form of punishment can be traced back to Greek times, but until relatively recently long-term incarceration was extremely rare, only flourishing in modern times after transportation to 'the colonies' became unviable (in no small part due to the American Revolution).
A popular uprising that turned into a pogrom
Following a brawl between Russian and Chechen mafia, a popular assembly adopted a fascist resolution for a pogrom. A later anti-fascist attack on fascist leaders resulted in several arrests.
On August 29th, a row began in a café, 'Chayka', in Kondologa, Russia. The fight was between drunken local youths and the Chechen criminal group, which ran the cafe.
Bush seeks to avoid human rights violation charges
Bush is trying to pass legislation that would immunise government personnel for abuses against detainees at Guantanamo, in Afghanistan, and in Iraq, including those abuses it authorised.
If the Bush administration is still good at anything, it's this: distracting its opponents and seizing little victories from what might have been big defeats.
House OKs controversial detainee treatment trial bill
The Bush administration’s controversial military commissions and detainee treatment bill is one step closer to being signed into law.
On Wednesday, the House approved its version of the measure, leaving it to a vote in the Senate today. Under the new bill, detainees would be prevented from challenging their imprisonment and denied access to evidence used against them.
1989: The Risley prisoners' uprising
In 1989 prisoners at Risley Remand Centre celebrated 1 May in style by taking over a wing of the notoriously squalid, brutal prison and spending three days on the roof. We remember the Risley uprising and analyse its legacy for prisoners' struggle in Britain.
Gris Ris
In 1988 the Chief Inspector of Prisons Stephen Tumim described Risley as 'barbarous and squalid', `appalling and totally unacceptable', `dirty and dilapidated'.
1970-1978: The US prisoners' movement
Howard Zinn's history of the movement of US prisoners and supporters on the outside against poor conditions and ill-treatment.
