Activists denounce that in Rikers Island there continues to be a constant violation of human rights, a fact that authorities deny
Photo: Edwin Martínez / Impremedia
Las New York City prison authorities They have been in the eye of the hurricane not only because of the more than 40 deaths that have occurred in detention centers in recent years, but also because of the strong accusations of alleged abuse and violent treatment of inmates by the guard, facts that the Corrections Commissioner (DOC), Louis Molina has flatly denied.
And this time, after the recent death of two more inmates in the prison system: Ricky Howellwho died of a terminal illness amid clamors to be released and Happy Taveras, who presumably died of an overdose, relatives of inmates, political leaders and defenders of the inmates once again made an urgent call to the authorities, the City and the State, to take action to protect the inmates. They also mentioned the case of the inmate James Carltonof whom they affirmed was paralyzed after attacks by staff.
The demonstrators assured in their day of protest that the deaths that occurred in the prisons, 22 of them under the current municipal administration, are the result of the lack of “political” actions and failures of public officials such as mayor adamsThe governor Hochuljudges, district attorneys, and state and local legislators, calling for measures to release inmates, stop sending people to jails, and protect the human rights of all who end up in the penal system.
“We must abolish prisons and jails. Anything else that is done is just Band-Aids. It’s too late to help my uncle and too many people. My purpose is people, not politicians. We need new solutions to help people,” said Justin Marvin Pines, a community organizer and nephew of Marvin Pineswho lost his life in jail earlier this year.
Lezandre Khadumember of the movement Freedom Agenda and mother of Stephan Khadu, who died in the custody of the prison authorities in 2021, joined the call and asked the state and municipal authorities to assume once and for all the prison crisis with real actions that guarantee that more deaths do not continue to swell the list of deceased inmates.
“My son left a mark on Torture Island, caring for others. She died because the DOC just didn’t care. He was everything to us. Our mayor doesn’t care about our Black and Latino communities. Judges and prosecutors continue to send people to their deaths,” said the heartbroken mother.
“I am pleading for someone to do something to stop these atrocities. When will someone care and do something? My son was worth Everyone else there matters. All New Yorkers who have a loved one in New York City jails should come together and fight for human rights. This is a trauma that I have to keep reliving. But I’m never going to stop. Until I stop breathing and Rikers is closed“, said.
Other protesters criticized the City for continuing to spend half a million dollars a year to keep every prisoner behind barsinstead of investing those resources and others in vulnerable communities and in promoting better opportunities among young people.
“Five people have died in New York jails this year. We are here because the answers are not enough. Things have to change. We need alternatives to incarceration,” said Andre Ward of the Fortune Society. “We need supportive housing. We don’t need to spend $500,000 to lock someone up in Rikers.”
The prison population at Rikers Island increased. Photo: Edwin Martinez
Photo: Impremedia
Akiana Smithof the New York Defense Services, asked legislators, politicians and members of the penal system to stop turning a deaf ear and blamed them for the human rights crisis that Rikers Island has become.
“How many lives does Rikers have to take for our cries to be heard? Day by day people die in Rikers. People die because they do not receive help or care. No one should be sent to Rikers for any reason. close it. We need treatment, not jail. We need communities, not cages,” said the activist.
solomon acevedo from the New York City Ombudsman’s office mentioned the recent report by the federal monitor placed at Rikers, who denounced mistreatment of inmates and who stated that everyone in that prison is at risk of imminent harm, and called for implementing urgent actions.
“So much damage is happening due to neglect. Staff constantly hit people on the head and deprive them of food and medical care. We must move with a matter of urgency,” said the spokesman for the Ombudsman, Jumaane Williams. “The City Council must approve Intro No 549 to end solitary confinement. We cannot wait for another deadly summer.”
2023-07-13 06:07:00
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