Ten brave people of conscience who tried to stop genocide in Gaza – the #Filton10, have been imprisoned without trial for over 3 months. On Saturday 9th November the Resistance Kitchen marked 95 days of their unjust incarceration.
They are accused of dismantling an Israeli armaments research and production facility in Bristol owned by Elbit Systems which supplies 85% of the weapons used to commit genocide in Gaza including Israel’s killer drone fleet that is currently slaughtering women and children taking shelter in UN tents.
In an abuse of terror laws they were held in solitary confinement without charge and interrogated for a week without contact with their families. Although the ridiculous terror charges were dropped, the CPS charge sheet still mentions that the criminal damage, disorder, and burglary charges have a “terrorist connection”, which has meant that they were denied bail and are still treated as terrorists in prison with severe restrictions imposed on them which other prisoners on remand do not face.
The families of the #Filton10 are campaigning against this abuse of terror powers, please sign the petition:
Punished for protesting
On the evening of 2nd November around a 100 people peacefully protested outside HMP Bronzefield at the maltreatment the #Filton10 women are being subjected to in the prison. Police were present, there were no incidents or arrests, it was a family event with mothers taking about their daughters. The protest was initiated only after the prison had repeatedly ignored letters from the parents, the Resistance Kitchen, Members of Parliament, and even lawyers petitioning the prison to explain the abuse meted out to the women. Rather than address the issues, or initiate a dialogue with us, it seems the prison is instead vindictively punishing the women for the protest that they had nothing to do with.
On the day of the protest, prison visits for the women were cancelled for no reason. And following the protest all the #Filton10 women at HMP Bronzefield have had several people on their visitors list banned for an initial 3 months from all communication including visits, telephone calls and emails! No reason has been given, and it seems there is no between those that were banned and those that attended the peaceful protest. This is particularly cruel as visits and communication with the outside world, with family and friends, is a life line for detainees. Whilst close family members were spared in this banning cull, the threat is there.
The message Jonathan French, the Director of HMP Bronzefield, is sending is that if we, supporters of the #Filton10, use our right to protest peacefully, campaigning for their just treatment in prison, then he will take it out on the women, holding them hostage to curtail our campaigning. This is unacceptable in a democracy.
Non Association Order - Bizarre Twist
The arbitrary Non Association Order (NAO) imposed on the #Filton10 women has been modified. Now, on the one hand, two #Filton10 women are allowed to be in the same room at the same time, but on the other hand, now the NAO also applies to the Just Stop Oil environmental activists detained at HMP Bronzefield, so now a #Filton10 detainee can’t be in the same room as Just Stop Oil detainees! Such bizarre decisions lack any logic, and reiterates the arbitrary nature of the NAO – a sign of desperation. It should be remembered that none of the #Filton10 men have NAOs, they are free to associate with each other, some even share the same cell.
Other Interesting Posts:
Protest Outside HMP Bronzefield in solidarity with the #Filton10
Justice for the #Filton10 – 88 Days
Perverted Judicial System – #Filton10 Unjustly Imprisoned 81 Days
#Filton10 Unjustly Imprisoned For 74 Days – Sign The Petition
Letter to HMP Bronzefield – Maltreatment of #Filton10
Free the #Filton10 – Unjustly Imprisoned for 67 Day
Unjustly Imprisoned For Two Months – #Filton10 Day 60
Unjustly Imprisoned For Over 50 Days – #Filton10 Day 53
#Filton10 – Day 46
Children send paintings to their “best” teacher #Filton10
#Filton10 – Day 39 – Malcolm X in Gaza
Unjustly Imprisoned For Over A Month – #Filton10 Day 32