Stop Torture RI

A growing community of formerly incarcerated people & loved ones fighting to end the use of solitary (torture) in Rhode Island. Contact: [email protected]

[SteveAhlquist.Substack.com @steveahlquist]

Solitary Confinement Tragedies Expose Flaws in Rhode Island’s Prison System

@UpriseRI
@StopTortureRI
@RhodeIslandDOC
@LeonelaFelix
@AcostaforRI

https://t.co/txyUW8LP1v

[Marking Time @MarkingTimeArt]

(1/4) How does mass incarceration affect Rhode Island? How are local organizations working to address human harm and conflict?

Image: Leonard Jefferson, The Survival Dance of the Black Belt, 1980. Courtesy of the artist.⁠

[Marking Time @MarkingTimeArt]

(3/4) Panelists include local artists John Barnes and Leonard Jefferson (whose painting is featured here), Nick Horton from OpenDoors (@OpenDoorsRI) and Raquel Baker from the Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women (@thecouncilus).⁠

[Marking Time @MarkingTimeArt]

(2/4) Join Africana Studies Assistant Professor Lisa Biggs for a frank discussion with local artists and activists about the state of policing, prisons, and human wellbeing in Rhode Island.

[Marking Time @MarkingTimeArt]

(4/4) Healing Harm in Rhode Island⁠
Thursday, October 27, 6pm⁠
Martinos Auditorium, Granoff Center for the Creative Arts⁠
154 Angell Street, Providence, RI⁠
⁠
Free and open to the public.
⁠
#markingtimeartintheageofmassincarceration

[Stop Torture RI @StopTortureRI]

Forty Jamestowners came out last night to hear coalition members Eddie Franco speak about his ten years in solitary confinement. This is a statewide fight, this is a human rights issue. https://t.co/dkfTkhwqep

[Stop Torture RI @StopTortureRI]

This self portrait by Billy Sell, on display at the Bell gallery in Providence as part of “Marking Time,”was drawn before he died as part of a hunger strike protesting solitary confinement.

[Jennifer Stewart @JenStewartRI]

This is why I stand with community groups like @StopTortureRI @amornetwork @DARE_BtW to honor Hui Lui Ng (known as Jason) who died at the Wyatt Detention Facility and call for the closure of this semi-private prison, where a guard attacked @NeverAgainActn pacifists with a truck

[SteveAhlquist.Substack.com @steveahlquist]

.@GovDanMcKee laughs when asked if he will end solitary confinement in Rhode Island.

He laughed.

@UpriseRI

[Ben @benakkii]

@Coalition_Radio @GovDanMcKee @LuisDanielMun0z @NellieGorbea @mattbrownRI @darepvd @JusticeCenterRI @UpriseRI @StopTortureRI @OpenDoorsRI @NAACPprovidence @RIACLU @UnlockTheBoxNow “there’s a reason we have solitary confinement”

okay. what is it? say it out loud.

[Unlock The Box Campaign @UnlockTheBoxNow]

"Think about yourself inside of a four-wall box. You go days without showering, you barely eat the food they give you. Once you see yourself, you don’t even look like yourself... It deteriorates you.” https://t.co/XSceg3rrUJ

[Stop Solitary for Kids @stopsolitary]

While many 14, 15, and 16-year olds are returning to school, others are alone in #solitaryconfinement, in jails & juvenile prisons. This Fall, we’re working with @UnlockTheBoxNow to make sure these kids aren’t forgotten @The_CCLP @CJJRGU @JusticePolicy @cjca_pbs @solitarywatch

[Jennifer Stewart @JenStewartRI]

Here in #RhodeIsland we can support @StopTortureRI & @DARE_BtW and push for the passage of the Restrictive Housing Act, H5740/S0395, which would greatly restrict the use of solitary confinement in Rhode Island’s prison facilities. 
#EndSolitaryConfinement
#SolitaryIsTorture

[Scott Hechinger @ScottHech]

“Even if I wanted to seek out human contact by whispering down the hallways, it was hard to find someone in a mentally stable state to talk to for a few minutes here & there. Furthermore, I’d risk getting written up for misconduct.” Solitary is torture.https://t.co/ig6j7mUDbW

[SteveAhlquist.Substack.com @steveahlquist]

Just got off the phone with a man incarcerated at the ACI here in Rhode Island.

Did you know there are no fans in maximum's segregation unit? If you are put in solitary, you bake in a small room, with no ac, no fans.

@RhodeIslandDOC @DarePVD @OpenDoorsRI

[Stop Torture RI @StopTortureRI]

On Monday, we marched in the Cumberland 4th of July parade to raise awareness about solitary confinement in our state. On a day that celebrates "freedom," many of our loved ones and community members remained in their 8x10 cells for 23 hours. We must end torture in RI! ✊🏾

[Unlock The Box Campaign @UnlockTheBoxNow]

Solitary by any other name is still solitary confinement. And #SolitaryConfinementIsTorture. We must continue to fight for #TreatmentNotTorture and an end to solitary for all! https://t.co/a91cenzM8b

[#HALTsolitary — Go to bit.ly/EndSolitaryNY @NYCAIC]

We’re here at City Hall demanding an end to solitary confinement. Solitary is torture and it has no place in our city. Follow along for updates to today’s rally with @nycpa

[Stop Torture RI @StopTortureRI]

We'll be tabling all day at Pride tomorrow, right up until the evening parade! Bring a friend and come learn about how LGBTQ+ community members are disproportionately harmed by solitary and our ongoing campaign to end the abusive practice in RI prisons. ✊🏾🌈❤️

[Unlock The Box Campaign @UnlockTheBoxNow]

Solitary confinement is no exception.

Over 85% of LGBTQ+ people in prison have been incarcerated in solitary. Furthermore, LGBTQ+ people of color are subjected to solitary at twice the rate of white LGBTQ+ people who are incarcerated.