United Nations Law for the Treatment of Prisoners

G.d'Annunzio •

Since no one has heard from Bill White for almost ten days and since we can’t really be sure that he is even still alive, I’ve decided to look at the government charters and laws under the United Nations regulations. Read the points, then read Bill’s last letter and contemplate why there has been no further communication/correspondence from Bill…..

How to lay an official complaint to United Nations: http://www.bayefsky.com/unts/login/

Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners

Adopted and proclaimed by General Assembly resolution 45/111 of 14 December 1990

2. There shall be no discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

7. Efforts addressed to the abolition of solitary confinement as a punishment, or to the restriction of its use, should be undertaken and encouraged.

11. The above Principles shall be applied impartially.

http://www.ohchr.org/EN/ProfessionalInterest/Pages/BasicPrinciplesTreatmentOfPrisoners.aspx

The International Bill of Human Rights

The Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Being Subjected to Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, adopted by the General Assembly in 1975 (resolution 3452 (XXX)), spells out the meaning of article 5 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which provide that no one may be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This prohibition was further reinforced by the adoption in 1984 of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (General Assembly resolution 39/46). Similarly, the Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief, proclaimed by the General Assembly in 1981 (resolution 36/55); clearly defines the nature and scope of the principles of non discrimination and equality before the law and the right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief contained in the Universal Declaration and the International Covenants.

“International human rights law lays down obligations which States are bound to respect. By becoming parties to international treaties, States assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to fulfil human rights. The obligation to respect means that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires States to protect individuals and groups against human rights abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights.”

Being a member of the United Nations, the United States is expected to follow the The United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, Adopted by the First United Nations Congress on the Prevention of Crime and the Treatment of Offenders, held at Geneva in 1955, and approved by the Economic and Social Council by its resolution 663 C (XXIV) of 31 July 1957 and 2076 (LXII) of 13 May 1977.

(3) Every prisoner shall be allowed to make a request or complaint, without censorship as to substance but in proper form, to the central prison administration, the judicial authority or other proper authorities through approved channels.

6. (1) The following rules shall be applied impartially. There shall be no discrimination on grounds of race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.

11. In all places where prisoners are required to live or work, (a) The windows shall be large enough to enable the prisoners to read or work by natural light, and shall be so constructed that they can allow the entrance of fresh air whether or not there is artificial ventilation;

12. The sanitary installations shall be adequate to enable every prisoner to comply with the needs of nature when necessary and in a clean and decent manner.

13. Adequate bathing and shower installations shall be provided so that every prisoner may be enabled and required to have a bath or shower, at a temperature suitable to the climate, as frequently as necessary for general hygiene according to season and geographical region, but at least once a week in a temperate climate.

37. Prisoners shall be allowed under necessary supervision to communicate with their family and reputable friends at regular intervals, both by correspondence and by receiving visits.

79. Special attention shall be paid to the maintenance and improvement of such relations between a prisoner and his family as are desirable in the best interests of both.

80. From the beginning of a prisoner’s sentence consideration shall be given to his future after release and he shall be encouraged and assisted to maintain or establish such relations with persons or agencies outside the institution as may promote the best interests of his family and his own social rehabilitation.

84. (1) Persons arrested or imprisoned by reason of a criminal charge against them, who are detained either in police custody or in prison custody (jail) but have not yet been tried and sentenced, will be referred to as “untried prisoners,’ hereinafter in these rules.

(2) Unconvicted prisoners are presumed to be innocent and shall be treated as such.

United Nations Standard Minimums for Prisioners: http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6b36e8.html

Bill White, Human Rights Violation

Bill White in Medical Unit After Hunger Strike

G.d'Annunzio •0

I have that just been informed that after days of being on a hunger strike, Bill is now in the ISO Medical Unit. As I haven’t from him I expect his condition to be serious. This is a result of the inhumane treatment received by the John Polk Correction Centre/Seminole County Jail aka the torture chamber /executioners block. To say that I’m irate would be an extreme  understatement.

For weeks I have been hearing horror stories about the place, with Bill saying it was the worst jail he’s ever seen – having seen many one can only conclude it’s on par with  the third world – possibly worse since Bill decided that starving to death was preferable to living in such conditions.

Bill said that he was kept in a tiny room with 24 hour artificial lighting, no access to hot water, only permitted to shower once every two weeks, and that he had 24 hour video surveillance on him. The cell also apparently had an open sewer running through it. This cell was apparently only usually given to serial killers and people who had committed serious crimes. And as we all know, Bill had great difficulty receiving mail there.

Making comments on the internet are apparently now on the same level of justice usually reserved for serial killers. The fact is that once again  everyone thinks that White Activists are criminals and deadly murderous thugs. And I do not mean just Bill White; I mean all of you. Should any one of you get arrested, expect a similar treatment because according to the wisdom of Joe Bloggs, you are on a lower plane than serial killers and rapists – these people will all be treated better than you. Not because of the accord attributed to the severity of the crime, but because politics is more important than justice.

I’m aware of the fact that this site gets observed 24/7, and that once again someone will be swooping down like a predatory raptor to find some choice words and quote them out of context. You can  officially quote me in your malodorous little file as being morally, ethically and genuinely disgusted with the entire process of ‘Facistophobia’ which appears to be akin to the Witch Hunts of the Middle Ages.  It would in fact, not surprise me if  the next trial involved just drowning Bill in a lake –  if he floats, that will undoubtedly prove that he is a political heretic.

If people spent more time investigating the murderers instead of unpopular internet users and ‘Fascists’, America would be a happier and safer place for everyone. But they don’t – they sit here and read this site  rather than preventing serious crimes. After all, given recent statistics – there are more murders in the USA being committed by teenagers on shooting binges than the Nazi’s. By this logic everyone under twenty should be under investigation too.

The NSA is a spectacular failure – all it catches are people making bad jokes on the internet – no real criminals would be stupid enough to write anything there. So who gets caught? Not the criminals, but  silly people with a morbid sense of humour and drunks. Brilliant. But at least having the highest incarceration rate in the world and corporatised prisons keeps the US economy from collapsing eh? Once again – Capitalism is the basis of everything. Arresting internet users is a good business isn’t it?  A naive belief in ‘Freedom of Speech’ makes good money these days and keeps Wall Street afloat.

That however, is irrelevant – the penal system thinks it’s more important to torture ‘Fascists’ for political heresy that it is to deal with murderers. ‘Fascists’ are the lowest of the low; serial killers have more rights. Why? Because the crime of…insulting someone and hurting their feelings is more offensive than murder? Is this the woeful logic involved? No – the cold hard truth of the matter is that it is perceived as threat to the political order, a rival for power and that is all. To the State it is a political rival and one by one you will all be weeded out and exterminated ruthlessly until there is nothing left but a trail of ghosts on the internet.

I am not a Fascist; but I would torture no man for an idea, and outrightly condemn anyone who would do so. And there is nothing that can be said to convince me otherwise.

Who is guilty of driving Bill White into such a state where he decided death was preferable? Only the Fates and Dharma know. But that I still believe in.

Boundless Fates, dear children of dark Night, Hear my prayer, O many-named dwellers on the lake of heaven, Where the frozen water by night’s warmth is broken inside a sleek cave’s shady hollow; From there you fly to the boundless earth, home of mortals, And, thence, cloaked in purple you march towards men whose aims are as noble, As their hopes are vain, in the vale of doom, where glory drives her chariot on, All over the earth, beyond the goal of justice, of anxious hope, of primeval law, And of the immeasurable principle of order. In life Fate alone watches. –          Orpheus