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Marian Price: completo isolamento anche a Hydebank Wood

Ongoing torture of Marian Price exposes cynical DOJ Public Relations stunt

Marian Price | InternedTo date the Justice for Marian website has contained news paper articles only. After talking with a family member today it has been decided that the public need to be made fully aware of the seriousness of the situation.

On the 17th of February Marian Price was moved to the health care centre at Hydebank women’s prison after spending ten months in isolation in Maghaberry all male prison. It is claimed this move was the result of ‘clinical advice’ given by the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust. Many believe this move was a knee jerk reaction to the increasing public awareness of Marian’s plight, that culminated with a campaign meeting in Derry the night prior to the move. I have been told Marian’s surroundings are far from clinical and the unsanitary conditions she arrived to prove Hydebank was in no way prepared for her arrival. The new regime she has been placed under is worse than she experienced in Maghaberry and would seem to be designed to de-personalise and further criminalise Marian Price.

She is now being held in one of three observation cells at the end of a corridor. The area is screened from the view of other prisoners who call to the centre for medication. There are monitoring cameras in the three cells two of which are locked. She has been told that the one she occupies has had the camera switched off, she has no way of knowing if this is true or not. The area is very restrictive and cramped. There is no unsupervised access to fresh air. The “Health Care Centre” is staffed by a combination of nursing prison officers who carry keys and some agency personnel. It is NOT a hospital wing. We would urge those in a position of influence to visit the prison and look beyond the visiting area.

Marian has a shower in her cell and without going into detail she has no privacy. A constant stream of prison staff enter her cell leaving her feeling like an exhibit at a time when she is feeling extremely unwell.

When I asked for a description of Marian I was told she looks physically drained, she has suffered a dramatic weight loss and is very pale – she looks extremely ill. She is also very agitated and appears to be under extreme pressure. Not surprising really given she has endured ten months of what the experts have clearly defined as torture.

To add to her hardship she is being constantly hounded to become involved in “activities” when she is so clearly unwell that she cannot. A written time-table of inane activities was given to her on Friday the 2nd of March which she considered insulting and calculated. This timetable is designed to dictate how she should spend her day from what time she should get dressed to what time she should read a book (Marian can no longer read books as she is unable to concentrate).It has been suggested to Marian that she can avail of the kitchen facilities to cook when the other prisoners are locked up. Marian’s hands are completely deformed with chronic arthritis, therefore cooking is a strenuous a task not therapy. In what is quite clearly an attempt to humiliate her Marian has been told as a treat she can be brought to the kennels to visit the sniffer dogs used in searches.

A very worrying aspect is the constant hints and suggestions of “interaction” with other prisoners. Family members witnessed this and pointed out to the governor the sensitivities involved. Marian has to constantly repeat that she is a SEGREGATED PRISONER and not a CRIMINAL. It is clear that this treatment is adding to the deterioration in Marian’s health.

It is obvious for all to see that attempts are being made to normalise what is evidently an abnormal situation. No-one appears to be taking account of the fact that Marian has been (and continues to be) held in isolation for 10 months.

I have been told Marian feels like she is “in a zoo” with so many unwanted “visitors”. She is isolated in an environment of constant interruptions which is totally unsettling. People arrive into her cell unannounced and the lack of privacy is degrading. The truth of this charade under the guise of a “health care package” must be exposed for what it is… a contrived public relations exercise to disguise the isolation and torture of a woman in need of urgent medical intervention.

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René Querin

Di professione grafico e web designer, sono appassionato di trekking e innamorato dell'Irlanda e della sua storia. Insieme ad Andrea Varacalli ho creato e gestisco Les Enfants Terribles.

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