At least 45 prisoners of the ICE Folkston D. Ray James migration prison (Georgia) have gone on hunger strike due to inhumane conditions, according to a letter that was obtained by ASTRA. Among them are Russians, as well as citizens of 12 other countries. Their demands include immediate release to the United States, protection from repeated detention and deportation, and reunification with loved ones. There are people among them who have been behind bars for more than 2 years.
“We have become victims of ICE’s political program aimed at detaining and deporting as many people as possible, regardless of who they are and what they have done,” said Idris Makhmudov, who has been in custody for 27 months.
A 9-page report on violations prepared by Alexey Kovalko and Alexander Borovkov states that the center’s building was previously used as a federal prison, and after being converted to the needs of the ICE migration police, the regime intensified. The document studied by ASTRA says that another row of barbed wire has appeared on fences, lines have been drawn on concrete paths beyond which prisoners are forbidden to leave, and on walks they should only walk behind each other and not talk. All this is happening under the supervision of armed guards.
Russians also complained about the lack of medical care.
“One of the doctors formulated this principle quite precisely, telling me personally: “My task is not to cure you. The main thing for me is that you don’t die,” the report says.
The prison administration also prohibits the transfer of hygiene items. Prisoners are massively experiencing problems with their teeth, as well as with their eyesight, due to the very dim light in their cells. In addition, the schedule provides for only 5 hours of sleep, during which silence is not observed, and earplugs are prohibited.
The authors of the report also told about the evacuation of 200 people from the canteen after one of the employees accidentally fired a gas gun. However, the very next day, the same guard was again armed, “which shows the loyalty of the administration to such cases.”
“None of you will be released in America, you will all be deported.” “Eat faster, it’s a prison” (it was said during lunch in the cafeteria). “Don’t worry, we will send you to your cozy GULAG” (a phrase spoken by a Russian),” the authors of the report convey the words of the staff.
Prisoners are effectively cut off from the outside world: letters do not reach them, appeals are ignored, there is no access to e-mail, and phone calls are limited and cost several times more than the usual tariff.
