Jose Fernandez Delgado refuses prison food in protest at conditions (Aachen 4)

"Dear friends, as you might know the 4 from Aachen have now heard their full sentence, but although they are now considered as "normal prisoners", some of them are still not receiving all their rights. Jose Fernandez Delgado, is at the moment on a hunger strike, although not absolute since he will eat what comrades bring to him on the weekly visits, he is refusing to eat anything that comes from the prison. He is protesting in order to improve his condition.

We have drawn a text that we hope it could be a guide for those of you who wish to write to the prison to support his case. Telephone calls are also taken by the prison. This is the third hunger strike that he has done since he got imprisioned in Germany, and his condition has still not improved, he is still in isolation, without his clothes, with strong mail restrictions and so on.

Any other actions will surely be appreciated !"


You can contact Jose to send him your own words of support:

Jose Fernandez Delgado, JVA Bochum, Krummede 3, 44791 Bochum, Germany

Below is the protest letter and address:


Henning Koster
Justizvollzugsanstalt Bochum
Krummede 3
D-44791 Bochum
Germany

Telefon : 00 49 234 / 95 58 - 0
Fax: 00 49 2 34 / 50 33 16
E-Mail:  poststelle@jva-bochum.nrw.de


To the director of the prison in Bochum, Henning Koster

Jose Fernandez Delgado has been imprisoned in your institution for nearly a year now. From the first day on he was confronted with the arbitrariness of your administration. He was chicaned by the guards, he only received his mail depending on their good will, books that were sent to him partly did not arrive, he was only sporadically allowed to participate in activities?

Since the refusal of the revision, since the 28th of September 2006, his new status as "normal" prisoner, has confronted him with additional offensive measures. All of a sudden Jose is forbidden to use the money that is sent to him regularly. Consequently he can't do his shopping which he considers necessary because the food in the prison is very bad and unhealthy. Now he is supposed to work to be able to earn money for food and like other prisoners he will be forced into compulsory labour. He is now supposed to hand it written request to be able to access his own money, to be able to make his phone calls, to get his books, etc? These requests can be accepted or refused depending on the good will of the guards and the submissive behaviour of the prisoners. The guards make arbitrary judgements about the content of his mail, which they read, censor and sometimes don't bother handing out. It is obvious that these humiliating measures as well as the pointless and embarrassing bureaucracy are part of the tools the prison uses to submit the prisoners to the prison's arbitrariness. The obligation to wear the prison uniform is part of this process that aims to depersonalise the prisoner and will finally destroy his individuality.

Jose Fernandez Delgado has decided to reject these permanent blackmailings and insecurities that undermine his dignity and started a protest action. We know that since the 1st of October he does not accept the prison food anymore and is endangering his health and life. We know, that he has been threatened by the administration that they will use physical force to make him wear the prison uniform. We also know that he is prepared to continue with his action to the last consequences.

For this reason we demand the immediate compliance of his demands:

Free access to the money he is sent

Free access to his own clothes

Free access to his mail and books that are sent to him

Free access to the recreational activities

Free access to a distance study course

This situation is unbearable and we won't tolerate it