Free John Bowden!
Demonstrate at the Parole Board’s offices on the 11th of June from 12pm – 2pm at Grenadier House, 99 – 105 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 2DX
June 11th is a Day of Action in solidarity with prisoner John Bowden. John has been incarcerated in various prisons since 1982 for murder and for much of his life before that. John has been an outspoken advocate of prisoner’s rights and human rights abuses on the inside. As a result, John’s parole hearings have been repeatedly sabotaged by the criminal justice system and he has been the victim of brutal treatment and physical assaults in an as yet unsuccessful; attempt to demoralise him and shut him up.
In 2007, social worker Matthew Stillman, alleged that the Anarchist Black Cross, who support John’s struggle, are a ‘terrorist organisation’.
However, a sustained campaign and Day of Action at the time was successful in exposing Stillman’s lies and professionally discrediting him. More recently, prison hired social worker Brendan Barnett has repeatedly told lies to the Parole Board in a further attempt to sabotage John’s release.
John should have been paroled by now and it has actually been recommended by the Parole Board two years ago that John be moved to an open prison. This recommendation has been ignored by the Scottish Prison Service. John has been victimised by the criminal justice system as a result of his outspoken complaints of prison conditions and his politics. Please join us demonstrating outside the parole boards offices on the 11th of June and show your support for John. If can’t make it then please consider writing a letter of complaint or phoning/faxing one of the following people and sending a letter of support for John!
If you’ve already done this, do it again!
John’s many statements can be read here:
https://network23.org/londonabc/statements-from-people-in-prison/
Brendan ‘Pinnochio’ Barnett,
Grindlay Court Social Work Centre,
Criminal Justice Services,
2-4 Grindlay Court,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9AR.
(Telephone: 0131 469 3408 Fax 0131 229 8628)
Michelle Miller,
Chief Social Worker,
Grindlay Court Social Work Centre,
Criminal Justice Services,
2-4 Grindlay Court,
Edinburgh,
EH3 9AR.
(Telephone: 0131 469 3408 Fax 0131 229 8628)
NB Michelle Miller also works out of Waverly Court, see details for Peter
Gabbitas below.
Peter Gabbitas,
Director,
Health and Social Care Department,
Waverly Court,
Level 1/8,
4 East Market Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8DG.
(Telephone 0131 553 8201 Fax 0131 529 6218).
Social Work Advice and Complaints Service,
Waverley Court,
Level 1/7,
4 East Market Street,
Edinburgh,
EH8 8BG.
(Telephone 0131 529 6217 Email: socialwork.complaints@edinburgh.gov.uk).
Scottish Public Services Ombudsman,
4 Melville Street,
Edinburgh,
EH3 7NS.
Scottish Prison Service HQ,
Communications Branch,
Room 338,
Calton House,
5 Redheughs Rigg,
Edinburgh,
EH12 9HW.
(Telephone 01259 760 471 Fax 01259 762 003
E-mail: gaolinfo@sps.gov.uk
Ian Whitehead (Governor),
HMP Shotts,
Cantrell Road,
Shotts,
Scotland,
ML7 4LE.
(Telephone 01501 824000 Fax 01501 824 001 ).
Letters and cards of support to John at:
John Bowden,
6729,
HMP Shotts,
Cantrell Road,
Shotts,
Scotland,
ML7 4LE.
You can also send e-mails to John (or any other prisoner) via:
http://www.emailaprisoner.com
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Monday 11th of June was day of action in solidarity with long term anarchist prisoner John Bowden. In response to the recent attempts of prison-hired social worker Brenden Barnett to
sabotage John’s parole (see above), London ABC called a demonstration outside the parole board’s office at Grenadier House, Horseferry Road. The front desk said they wouldn’t help us, so we stood outside with a banner, flyering passers by and asking to speak to someone from the parole board about John’s case. In the end we managed to speak to someone. We really hope this shows the parole board and prison ‘services’ that there are people on the outside who are watching what they are doing. Because we are.
Free John Bowden now!
