As we marked 172 days that the Filton 18 have been unjustly imprisoned for trying to stop genocide, they have had to endure a particularly cruel week with the new management at HMP Bronzefield cancelling around half of all visits to the Filton 18 detainees with no explanation, often last minute. Other prisoners have not been targeted.
Mass Cancellation Of Visits
Fatema Zainab has had 3 visits cancelled this week with no explanation. Some have been cancelled last minute with visitors, having travelled long distances already arrived at HMP Bronzefield only to be told they cannot see their loved ones with no reason given.
The feedback from other families indicates it’s the same for the other Filton 18 detainees at HMP Bronzefield with mass cancellations of visits with no official explanation. There is speculation that it’s a new Non-Association Order (NAO) that’s specifically targeting their lifeline to the outside world, to their loved one’s.
Even prison officers have been left clueless. Some agreeing with the view that’s is a new NAO that targets all 9 Filton18 detainees at HMP Bronzefield, so they cannot book any activity with 2 of then at the same time, others suggesting it’s not a NAO but that from now on Filton 18 detainees will only be allowed 3 visits a week. Other officers have suggested it’s punishment with speculation as to exactly what action caused it.
Cancellation Against Prison Regulations
Whatever the reason for these arbitrary cancellations, its clear they are against both the regulations that HM Prison and Probation Service has mandated for prisons to follow, and against the rules HMP Bronzefield has itself set to follow.
The most recent prison regulation governing the rights of unconvicted prisoners, Prison Service Order 4600 (which is a current PSO which came to effect 10 Feb 2003 and was last updated 27 Jan 2020) clearly states (Annex B-2) that its a
Mandatory Requirement that governors must ensure that, as far as possible, unconvicted prisoners are accorded
the following rights and privileges. These include: Receive as many visits as he/she wishes, within reasonable limits; [Prison Rule 35(1), SO 5a]
In accordance with this mandatary requirement, HMP Bronzefield has itself instituted the following rule “Remand prisoners can have hourly visits on all the days that we are open.“
https://www.hmpbronzefield.co.uk/home/visiting-the-prison.html
[ Note that there is a previous older Prison Service Instruction PSI 16/2011 (which came into effect 1 Apr 2011 and was last updated 31 Jan 2019) which states – Every unconvicted prisoner is given the opportunity to receive at least three, one hour social visits each week, one of which may be on a weekend. ]
HMP Bronzefield cannot justify implementing an arbitrary Non-Association Order when a few miles away at HMP Wormwood Scrubs where most of the Filton men are imprisoned no such restrictions are applied, they are allowed to mix freely, even share cells. There is no justification for this denial of visits. (It should be noted that the men at HMP Wormwood Scrubs suffer many other atrocious maltreatments that are not present at HMP Bronzefield.)
Next Month Even Worse
We were fortunate that our visit to Fatema Zainab this week wasn’t cancelled. She shared with us her pain, that on her pod, used for booking visits, she has only got 3 family visits for the whole of February, that none of them are for the weekend. The weekends are the only time her father and sister can visit her.
Letter Writing Campaign
We have written to HMP Bronzefield to demand visitation rights are immediately reinstated. We ask you to please do the same. We have a model letter below which you can adapt. Please be respectful whilst staying firm. If the letters are ignored we will have to consider a phone in campaign.
Charlotte.Wilson@sodexogov.co.uk
Raymond.Rogers@sodexogov.co.uk
bf.correspondence@sodexogov.co.uk
For Attention:
Charlotte Wilson, Director of HMP Bronzefield
Dear Charlotte Wilson,
I am appalled by the arbitrary mass cancellation of visits for the 9 Filton political prisoners including Fatema Zainab Rajwani who has been detained at HMP Bronzefield on remand since last August.
Fatema Zainab Rajwani has had 3 visits cancelled this week and her pod is only showing 3 visits available for the whole of next month, none of which are for weekends when her family can visit.
Why have their basic right to see their family and friends been so callously taken away without any reason given?
Every detainee has the right to receive visits from their family and friends, its essential for their wellbeing and mental health. This right is stipulated in the regulations that HM Prison and Probation Service has mandated for prisons to follow. The most recent prison regulation governing the rights of unconvicted prisoners, Prison Service Order 4600 (last updated 27 Jan 2020) clearly states (Annex B-2) that its a mandatory requirement that governors must ensure that, as far as possible, unconvicted prisoners are accorded the following rights and privileges: this includes- Receive as many visits as he/she wishes, within reasonable limits; [Prison Rule 35(1), SO 5a].
Reflecting this, HMP Bronzefield has itself implemented the following rule “Remand prisoners can have hourly visits on all the days that we are open.”
Why are you discriminating against Fatema Zainab and the other 9 Filton detainees by denying them these basic rights which you claim to uphold?
Creating arbitrary Non-Association Orders cannot be justified at HMP Bronzefield when at HMP Wormwood Scrubs where most of the Filton men are imprisoned no such restrictions are applied, they are allowed to mix freely, even share cells.
I respectfully urge you stop this abuse of their rights and immediately reinstate full visitation rights.
This needs immediate attention, awaiting your reply.
Yours sincerely
Victory Assured
During our visit with Fatema Zainab, she told us that whenever she he feels crushed by the oppressive measures, she looks to the Holy Quran for strength to lift her up. She opens the Holy Quran on a random page for inspiration and hope, it never disappoints. This time, on learning that the prison wants to bar her parents from visiting her for a month, she sought refuge in the Holy Quran, it opened to Surah Naml, Ayat 70:
“And grieve not over them or be in distress from what they conspire”
It refers to the unjust, who were plotting against the Prophet. Allah tells the Prophet not to grieve over them or be distressed by their plots – they will surely fail, victory is assured.
Other Interesting Posts:
Mail Phone In Success – #Filton18 Day 144
Unjustly Imprisoned 137 Days – Second Protest Outside HMP Bronzefield – Filton18
123 Days Of Unjust Imprisonment – #Filton10
Fatema Zainab Still Denied Mail – #Filton10 Day 116
Protest Outside HMP Bronzefield in solidarity with the #Filton10
“Let my best teacher see my painting” – 6 year old writes to HMP Bronzefield
#Filton10 Unjustly Imprisoned For 74 Days – Sign The Petition
Letter to HMP Bronzefield – Maltreatment of #Filton10
Free the #Filton10 – Unjustly Imprisoned for 67 Day
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#Filton10 – Day 46
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