Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace

Jan. 26, 2005

Abusive Conditions at Coleman Continue: Dr. Al-Arian Suffers Second Lockdown in One Month

The punitive prison conditions at Coleman Federal Penitentiary have deteriorated drastically over the past month, since Dr. Sami Al-Arian’s return from a brief stay at the local Orient Road Jail in Tampa, where he was able to attend hearings, examine evidence, and have regular visits and telephone calls with attorneys and family.

As it is, the conditions at Coleman deny Dr. Al-Arian regular access to attorneys, give him limited family visits, and almost no medical attention, as he is confined to a tiny cell for 23 hours a day.

Last week, however, Coleman officials announced a lockdown of the prison –the second one in a month. During this period, usually caused by a disturbance among inmates, the entire prison is shut down and closed off to visitors. In the Special Housing Unit where Dr. Al-Arian is confined (and is permanently in a quasi-lockdown state), the 23 hour solitary confinement is extended to 24 hours, denying him his one hour of recreation, and forcing him to spend as long as ten days without leaving his cell.

Moreover, in the last 46 days, Dr. Al-Arian, who is a diabetic, has only had his condition checked two times. By contrast, when he is at Orient Road Jail, his health is checked twice per day. The lockdown also means that laundry service is suspended and therefore inmates are not given a change of garments for the duration of this period.

Regular food service is also interrupted, and prisoners are consequently denied any fresh or cooked food. This presents an added hardship on Dr. Al-Arian, since he is the only person denied access to the commissary, where he can supplement his diet by purchasing food items not readily available. The prison has never given any justification for these excessively punitive measures, and the singling out of Dr. Al-Arian, who as it happens, is the sole detainee still awaiting his trial at the facility. This treatment suggests that not only has he been denied any presumption of innocence, but that he is somehow even more deserving of punishment than anyone else at the prison.

In addition to the atrocious living situation, the conditions at Coleman have dramatically hindered Dr. Al-Arian’s ability to prepare for his upcoming trial. Since returning to Coleman, he has not been allowed to make or receive legal calls. His attorneys were not permitted to speak to him because of the lockdown. His ability to examine evidence and listen to the thousands of hours of tapes compiled by the government has been severely hampered. Access to the listening devices has been a never-ending struggle with Coleman officials. Since August 25, 2004, over five months ago, he has been given batteries only twice; he was originally given five batteries, four of which were damaged, and incapable of being recharged. The one battery lasts only four hours and often takes over a week to get it recharged once the guards take it. Since Aug. 25, Dr. Al-Arian has only had eight hours of listening on the jukebox. From Dec. 22 through Jan. 6, he had no batteries whatsoever. Given these circumstances, the Tampa Bay Coalition for Justice and Peace and Dr. Al-Arian’s friends, family, and supporters have expressed serious concerns as to the fairness of the current court proceedings and the chances of a just outcome.

Because of the mind bending effects of the current prison lockdown, inmates have set their bunks on fire and flooded their cells; naturally, Dr. Al-Arian has experienced smoke inhalation and had his own cell flooded because of the other inmates’ actions.

In response to these and other concerns, Magistrate McCoun recently ordered the US Marshals to transport Dr. Al-Arian back to Orient Road Jail “as soon as possible,” but nearly two weeks have passed with no relief.

We urge all conscientious individuals and organizations to contact Magistrate McCoun directly with regard to this situation and call for humane treatment of a pre-trial prisoner. Dr. Al-Arian has maintained his strength and patience through the most unimaginable circumstances; however, there is no question this type of imprisonment has deteriorating effects on his physical and mental health. Furthermore, it is disconcerting that with so much media attention surrounding this case, these continuous abuses have received virtually no coverage from news outlets. One is left to ponder how much more Dr. Al-Arian has to suffer and withstand before the media expose this maltreatment.