International Day of Solidarity with John Bowden, 25th May

There will be a demo outside of the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, 25th May. For people who cannot be there, we are calling for solidarity action on an International Day of Solidarity.


Send emails, phone calls and faxes to the Scottish Prison Service and your local British embassy. If possible, get people together to do picket outside of the British embassy.


Contents of fax/emails should be something like:


HANDS OFF JOHN BOWDEN!
ANARCHIST BLACK CROSS IS NOT A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
PRISON IS NOT THE SOLUTION.


(Clarify which country you are sending it from, so that they will know that people elsewhere in the world are concerned over the issue.)


It is also needed that people continue to send these protest communications to the authorities continually, not just on 25th May, but please help out as you are able.


As John's situation is getting more serious, condemned to be involved in "terrorist organization", we want to show the authorities that they cannot continue to detain him without international attention. The prison service and the government want to prevent his release because he refuses to denounce his ties with the Anarchist Black Cross. They want to smear the ABC as a 'terrorist organisation' even though this is a lie understandable to anyone. The prison authority ignored all the questions John made over the issue of his continuing confinement. He is asking everyone to enquire about his situation, whether he can receive mail, stamps and money, when he is going to be released. Sending emails and faxes to the authority shows them that they cannot bury John in prison and ignore the issue.


Showing them that there are people outside of the prison and the UK who are concerned about him and watching for injustice, would help prevent John Bowden from being further victimized. John has fought for the rights of prisoners throughout his detention and now it is time for us to campaign for his release! We are everywhere and we will not forget anyone!


Send a card reading 'Hands off John Bowden' to the Scottish Prison Service headquarters, and also don't forget to send John a card or letter to support him in his struggle for freedom.


Check out www.myspace.com/friendsofjohnbowden for more information about his case and for a letter written by John about what has been happening to him.




John Bowden,
6729,
HMP Glenochil,
King O' Muir Road,
Tullibody,
Clackmannanshire,
FK10 3AD
Scotland



Scottish Prison authority:


Audrey Parks,
Governor,
HMP Glenochil,
King O' Muir Road,
Tullibody,
Clackmannanshire,
FK10 3AD. Scotland


Scottish Prison Service:


Scottish Prison Service Headquarters
Communications Branch, Room 338
Calton House, 5 Redheughs Rigg
Edinburgh, EH12 9HW. Scotland


E-mail:  gaolinfo@sps.gov.uk


Tel: +44(0)1259 760471
Fax: +44(0)1259 762003