Press release - [1:00pm 2/02/2017] - For Immediate Use
PRESS RELEASE: No Pride in Prisons

No Pride in Prisons March to Join Rising Tide of Discontent With Corrections

Prison abolitionist group No Pride in Prisons will hold a march to Mount Eden Corrections Facility on Saturday, February 11 from 12pm to 2pm.

No Pride in Prisons spokesperson Emilie Rākete says “This march is to call attention to the fact that the prison population has recently swollen to 10,000 people.”

“The Department of Corrections is ignoring the growing evidence that prisons don’t do what they say they do. The government plans to spend $1 billion on prison construction over the next few years to house even more prisoners.”

“A new prison facility is being built despite the fact that recidivism is high. It’s clear that prisons are not reducing crime.”

The march is occurring only days after it was confirmed that Corrections officers have been barred from participating in the Auckland Pride parade.

“No Pride in Prisons agrees with Auckland Pride that Corrections has made no progress on transgender rights,” Rākete said. “Transgender prisoners continue to suffer from some of the worst conditions of incarceration. Our advocates have worked with transgender prisoners who are at risk of developing bone disease because their hormone treatments are so inadequate”

“The recent Ombudsmen’s investigation found systemic human rights abuse in Corrections facilities. Recognising that transgender prisoners are harmed excessively is a positive step towards recognising the violence that all prisoners experience.”

Rākete says that the medical neglect of prisoners is a widespread problem in New Zealand prisons. “The Ombudsmen found that many prisoners cannot access healthcare that Corrections is required to give them by law. This is a form of state-sanctioned violence which we should no longer tolerate.”

No Pride in Prisons remains committed to the liberation of incarcerated people. “Ending the mistreatment of transgender prisoners is part of ending the mistreatment of all prisoners.”

The march begins at 12pm on Saturday, February 11th, at Aotea Square in Auckland.

ENDS

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