Open Letter for Dan Baker, aka Alishare – from Toby Shone
Alishare, I heard your message of solidarity, thank you, it gave me strength. I would turn the energy with this open letter, and I hope to kick a brick from the walls. One more time. In a flurry of black feathers and lunar wisdom, a murder of crows delivered your statement and those wily crows told me about your situation in FCI Memphis.
I want to add on to this dialogue and talk about three anarchist comrades imprisoned in Italy. The first is Anna Beniamino who is serving a 17 year sentence for the Scripta Manent case in a high security regime in Rebibbia prison (Rome). The Scripta Manent case involved the arrest of 7 anarchists accused of subversive association with terrorist intent and a series of direct actions claimed by the Informal Anarchist Organization. An absurd farce with obscene conclusions. The second comrade I want to mention is Alfredo Cospito who has been locked up since 2012 for the Adinolfi case for which he was sentenced for nearly 11 years and is now waiting for the confirmation of another sentence of 20 years for the Scripta Manent case. Alfredo was recently struck with the legislature 41 bis, special security regime. Each month, he can only receive either one phone call (10 minutes) or one visit strictly with family members with glass and recorded; he can only walk in the yard with maximum 3 other prisoners previously approved by prison security; he cannot receive books, censorship is applied to his correspondence (number of letters per month is extremely limited), and he has a very limited amount of items which he can keep in his cell. Several international agencies have continuously condemned the 41bis prison regime as torture. The third comrade I want to mention is Juan Sorroche. On the date of the international day of with long-term anarchist prisoners, June the 11th , Juan will face a court hearing in Treviso. Juan is on trial accused of an attack against an office of the Lega Nord political party claimed by the “Cell Haris Hatzimihelakis/Black International (1881/2018)” that happened in August 2018. Juan who was already serving time for other judgements, is now facing a long sentence in this other political trial. Like all the imprisoned anarchists around the world, these three comrades deserve the support and solidarity that the international anarchist movement can give them.
The repression we face is evidence that our struggle has validity, and the enemy is threatened and reactive. Even though we are locked up, our lives continue. Our inner world is still infinitely rich and diverse as we confront our experience. We are part of the same lost continent, and we discover freedom – in our indestructible hearts. Alishare, with our letters, we create an Atlantic bridge where all of us can meet and learn from each other. We anarchists tread the same yards, we hear the same keys and slamming doors, but we discuss, and plan and we don’t give up. Dialogues between us are important, as needed as those we have with those outside.
I tell you of some of my news. Maybe it is because of the solidarity efforts of comrades outside, but I was able to receive a few letters, postcards, and a book: “Sara – Prison Memoirs of a Kurdish Revolutionary” by Sakine Cansiz. I don’t know who sent me the book but they have my sincere thanks. I received a few letters from Philadelphia ABC sent in the last two months, and a couple of cards from Brighton ABC, and a parcel from NFA ABC in London. That as well as a few other letters, all arrived in the last few days. I still have a lot of correspondence that I have not been given, as well as books. G4S are lying in the face of all this by claiming I have “no mail”, and saying that books are not permitted. In Bristol prison, I was able to receive a copy of “My Pestiferous Life” by Claudio Lavazza before the administration censored my mail. I recommend Claudio’s book, reading it, is like getting a big hug from a dear friend who helped you to escape. Whilst I was in Bristol, comrades from Italy sent me a lunar calendar which was forbidden to me. All anarchists should come to know the pleasure of the Dark Moon. For an alphabet in flames, let the pen reach into the void.
Free Eric King. Free everyone
Toby Shone.