John Bowden has been put into solitary confinement in HMP Shotts in Scotland. This was done after allegations that he was part of the "jail-wide" organisation of a sit down protest in the exercise yard, despite the fact that there was no evidence, the apparent protest did not take place and no-one else was punished for the "jail-wide threat".

Despite the recent recommendation by the parole board that John Bowden be moved back to an open prison, the Scottish Prison Service, earlier this year, transferred him to Shotts, the most secure prison in the country. This was a blatant punishment move, one of hundreds John Bowden has undergone since he was imprisoned in 1978 – YES 1978!

By ‘coincidence’ the governor of Shotts, Ian Whitehead, was previously governor of Castle Huntley open jail, where John Bowden (and the Anarchist Black Cross) was the victim of an orchestrated campaign of lies in which an American psychologist, Matt Stillman, smeared the ABC as a “terrorist organisation” with which John was in contact.

After a robust campaign led by Leeds ABC, and by John himself of course, the Scottish Prison Service were forced to climb down, and Stillman’s career was ruined. John has never been forgiven for having the courage and integrity to stand his ground, and the SPS have not forgotten how they were humiliated.

Once again, we ask comrades to help shine an international spotlight on SPS abuse, and to support John in his long battle for freedom.

Please send letters of support to John at the following address:

John Bowden
6729
HMP Shotts
Cantrell Road
Shotts
Scotland
ML7 4LE

And letters of protest to:

Ian Whitehead
Governor
HMP Shotts
Cantrell Road
Shotts
Scotland
ML7 4LE

Scottish Prison Service HQ
Calton House
5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh
Scotland
EH12 9HW

The Parole Board
Grenadier House
99-105 Horseferry Road
London
SW1P 2DD
England



More info:
John on the Prison System:  http://leedsabc.org/?page_id=116
Another Punishment Move:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/08/483649.html
Interview with John:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/05/369954.html
John on the Scottish Prison Service:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/05/479691.html
The Price You Pay for Speaking Out:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2007/05/369431.html

John has also been working very hard to expose the torture of inmates in Close Supervision Centres, the use of prison psychologists in the repression of prisoners, and behaviour modification techniques against prisoners with serious mental health problems.
John on CSCs:  http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2011/03/476629.html
 http://leedsabc.org/?p=535
 http://www.insidetime.org/articleview.asp?a=776&c=deliberately_inflicted_powerlessness