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UK: Muslim prisoners' trial preparations

01 March 2006

There are a large number of Muslim prisoners at HMP Belmarsh facing trial in the coming months on serious charges. It is alleged that there is constant interference with legal mail, refusal to facilitate effective legal visits, and most recently, the removal of laptops from the prisoners - even though the laptops are essential for their trial preparation. Prison Service Instruction 05/2002 provides that "any prisoner who requests access to IT facilities and demonstrates a real need for this (i.e. in order to prepare effectively in relation to legal proceedings) must be granted access to the IT provided for this purpose for the period specified." Circumstances where the request is to be granted include where the defence is complex and where documents relating to preparation of the defence are held on disc. In such circumstances, the use of a computer is fundamental to the right to a fair trial.

Moreover, a few days after Eid six prisoners began to pray on the exercise yard because the time of prayer was entered while they were there. A Senior Officer and a number of guards challenged the prisoners' right to pray on the yard, with the SO ordering "Fucking drag them one by one and take them inside" and grabbing one prisoner by his arm. One prisoner said that they had never been told they could not pray on the yard and was told "Shut your fucking mouth." All the prisoners involved were put on the basic regime, locked in their cells and denied phone calls. Letters from their solicitors received no reply. PSO 4550 confirms that the Prison Service "recognises and respects the right of prisoners to participate in worship and other religious activities and to receive pastoral care."

Fax/write letters of protest to Governor Claudia Stuart, HMP Belmarsh, Western Way, London SE28 OEB. Fax: 020 8331 4401