From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Puerto Rico:Political Prisoners (3)
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 19:12:16 GMT

/** reg.puertorico: 25.0 **/
** Topic: Puerto Rico:Politcalical Prisoners  **
** Written  4:51 pm  Aug 18, 1992 by caribdoc in cdp:reg.puertorico **
From: Proyecto Caribeno de Justicia y Paz <caribdoc>
Subject: Puerto Rico:Politcalical Prisoners (3)

VISITING.

Prisoners in Cuba, which is so often criticized by the U.S.  for
its alleged human rights violations, receive not just extended
family visits but also routinely enjoy conjugal visits(1).  The
same is true in Mexico- but not in the U.S. federal priso system.

The UNSMRTP(2) clearly provide that prisones be allowed to
communicate, including by visits, with family and friends, and
that "prison staff be responsible for maintaining and improving
the prisoners" relationships with their families.
The federal regulations an Bureau Prisons rules echo these lofty
principles(3), though they are not applied to the Puerto Rican
political prisoners. At Marion federal prison, Oscar Lopez Rivera
is denied all contact visiting. A glass separates him from all
social visitors.

Limiting Alejandrina Torres' visits to immediate family only,
while she was in the Lexington Women's High Security Unit, the
government decided that her son-in-law and grandchildren were not
included in their identification of immediate family and refused
to let her see them.

Says Ida Luz Rodriguez: "During our social visits, we are permitted
to give our loved ones and friends a kiss and hug at the beginning
and end of our visit. No other physical contact is allowed.  When
my son Damian visits, I cannot hold his hand, sit too close or hug
him while the visit is in progress. Otherwise, I will ve
threatened
with the termination of my visit".

(1) (a) Wicker, Tom. "Why Not Glasnost?", New York Times, June 21,
1988.

    (b) Institute for Police Studies, Preliminary Report of
    U.S.

    Delegation to Cuba, February 26-March 5, 1988, pages 5-6, 8.

    (c) National Lawyers Guild, Criminal Justice in Cuba, June
    1988, pp. 11, 12.

(2) United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
    Prisoners.

 (3) The Bureau of Prisons encourage visitin by family,
friends, and community groups to maintain the morale of the inmate
and to devlop closer realtionships
between the inmate and famuly members or others in the community
[28 CFR Sec. 540.40].

ISOLATION FROM THE MOVEMENT.

The transition from an active political life to one of captivity
has at times caused me traumatizing moments and painful experiences.
-Osca Lopez Rivera, April, 1991.

What better way to deny a political prisoner's identity than to deny,
discourage, or even castigate contact with movement comrades?
Tactics have included prohibiting correspondence and communication,
censoring political literature, and denying, visits.
The ultimate weapon to be used so far to descourage a continuing
relationship with the movement has been the torturous control
unit.

Officials placed Alejandrina Torres a Lexington because of her
pro-independence beliefs and affiliations, and told her she would
remain there unless and until she renounced those beliefs and
affiliations.

[Excerpts from: Sussler, Jan. Condiciones de Encarcelamiento/
Conditions of Incarceration, Ofensiva'92, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico].
** End of text from cdp:reg.puertorico **
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