Pelican Bay Prisoners Hunger for Justice

Talamantez June2011

Prison activist Luis Talamantez at SF City Hall rally

AFSC Healing Justice Program is supporting a hunger strike, commencing July 1, called by prisoners at California's infamous Pelican Bay State Prison.  Their five demands: 

(1) End "group punishment" -- lock-downs, most typically -- of entire yards or of all prisoners of an ethnic category -- for violations of prison rules by one prisoner, or a few

(2) End State-imposed gang labels, from which a labeled prisoner can escape only by "debriefing," i.e., testifying against others in the alleged gang

(3) State compliance with 2006 Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons recommendations on long-term solitary confinement

(4) Provision of adequate food

(5) Provision and expansion of constructive programming and privileges for prisoners in "Indefinite Security Housing Status"

For frequent updates, check our blog 

 If you would like to fast from one or meals, in solidarity with these prisoners, we can list your participation on our calendar.  Please send an email to pmr@afsc.org with your hungry dates, your name, your organization (or anonymously, if you prefer).  Persons fasting from solid foods are urged to get plenty of fluids.