Statement by John Bowden

"To describe a perfectly legitimate prisoner support group as "terrorist" and to punish and victimise a prisoner associated with that group, speaks volumes about the current mentality pervading the administration of the British prison system. Just as the accusation of "terrorism is now being used arbitarily by the state in Britain to criminalise and outlaw increasingly wider areas of political dissent and opposition, so any radical resistance to the prison system by groups with a revolutionary perspective is now threatened with the "terrorist" label. The recent claims of prison social worker Matt Stillman concerning the Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) might be bizarre and ridiculous in the extreme, but in its subsequent treatment of me the prison authorities have clearly shown that it subscribes to Stillman's views and they have sent out a message to other prisoners that any contact with groups like the ABC will be seen as tantamount to supporting "terrorism", with all the consequences that would trigger in terms of increased repression and prolonged imprisonment.

"For many years in jail my struggle in pursuit of prisoners' rights, and my contact with prisoner support groups on the outside, was described as "subversive" by the prison authorities; now the label "terrorist" is applied and the political atmosphere has hardened to the extent to which my release is currently being opposed on the explicitly stated grounds that I am connected with a "terrorist" group (the ABC.)

"This criminalisation of radical prisoner support activity MUST be resisted and challenged vehemently, and absolutely no quarter given on our right to openly support prisoners in struggle."

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Come and join us outside the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh at 2.00pm. Bring placards and banners.

If you are unable to attend please show your solidarity in some other way, for example by phoning or faxing Glenochil prison and/or the Scottish Prison Service, contacting or picketing your nearest British embassy, organising a card signing, etc.

John Bowden Needs Our Support

Addresses:

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

Audrey Parks, Governor, HMP Glenochil, King O' Muir Road, Tullibody, Clackmannanshire, FK10 3AD. Scotland. Tel: (01259) 760471
Fax: (01259) 762003

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