Da: "coalit"
Oggetto: [listacoalit] Fw: ACTION: Part 1, state assisted suicide
Data: mercoledė 17 ottobre 2001 22.23
Hello everyone. I am forwarding two parts of an urgent appeal. Please do
take the time to help with this. Actually, Christa's case is something I had
already heard about in a previous campaign to help. (Maybe you also
recognise her name) Her family were asking if anyone could send her a
message of support. They stress that she will not respond positively to lots
of emails urging her to keep on with her appeals, and they would prefer
people not to metion this. Instead please let her know that there are people
thinking of her, and that there are people who care. If this is somethng you
are also interested in doing then please send the emails to:
christa_pike@hotmail.com
Bye for now
Amy
URGENT ALERT: SUPPORT DEATH ROW WOMEN
Updated and reissued 16th October 2001
Issues:
· Mentally ill, brain damaged young woman at risk of state assisted
suicide in Tennessee;
· Cruel and unsafe conditions on women's death row.
Background:
Christa Gail Pike, aged 24, is one of only two female
death row inmates at Tennessee Prison for Women in
Nashville. Christa was convicted in 1996 of the
murder of Colleen Slemmer. She was then sentenced to death. Christa was 18
at the time of the crime.
Christa has asked to drop her remaining appeals and
proceed to execution. Her family and supporters feel
that her decision to go forward to execution is the
result of both her mental illness and brain damage and the inhumane and
unsafe conditions she is currently
enduring at the Tennessee Prison for Women. These are as follows:
· Christa's personal goods have been confiscated on an ongoing basis
for some years. Christa's family and supporters indicate they currently
have some twenty boxes of Christa's confiscated possessions. These include
personal hygiene items, reading, religious and hobby material. In August
last year prison officers confiscated everything in Christa's cell,
including her Bible and rosary beads, as punishment for keeping one of her
anti-depressant tablets in her cell. They also took away her visitation
rights (except for her attorneys) for six months.
· In February this year prison officers found another two of Christa's
anti-depressant tablets in her cell. As punishment, Christa's visitation
rights (except for attorneys) were suspended for a further year.
· Christa has received completely inadequate health care at the
prison, particularly given her status as a person with a mental illness.
As an example of the standard of health care, the prison offers no dental
treatment to inmates apart from tooth extraction. When Christa had problems
with her teeth, the dentist stated that this was due to the inadequate
prison diet and recommended calcium supplements. The prison doctor,
however, refused permission for Christa to have these, even if paid for by
her family. When her teeth needed dental work, this was denied, again in
spite of offers by Christa's family to pay for the medication or send it to
her directly. Christa finally had two teeth extracted, the only dental
service the prison was willing to provide. Another example, Christa has had
spider bites, ear infections and inflamed cysts that the doctor has refused
to treat. When she has sought medical attention at the urging of her
family, Christa has been accused of attention seeking. Christa has had to
lance her own cysts on two occasions.
· Inmates are fed only two meals per day on weekends and public
holidays. Inmates whose families are able to provide money can purchase
unhealthy junk food from the commissary. However, even this limited
"privilege" has been withdrawn from Christa. Christa's supporters report
that she had lost
considerable weight when they saw her at an October
court appearance and that she reports often being
hungry.
· Christa's phone privileges have been withdrawn.
Deeply depressed and totally isolated, Christa has
been unable to speak with her mother or other
supporters. They are currently trying to dissuade her
from suicide by correspondence.
· Christa's television set has been confiscated. She is now sitting
alone in her cell staring at the walls.
Christa is sick and vulnerable young woman in need of help. In her
desperation and despair, she is taking
the only way out that she can see: state assisted
suicide. It is her only means of protest at her years
of neglect, suffering and mistreatment. The treatment of Christa (and
other inmates) by the Tennessee Prison for Women fails to meet international
standards and constitutes torture. It is even more dismally inadequate
given the special responsibilities of prisons to inmates suffering from
mental illness. Christa is effectively being manipulated into killing
herself. Whatever one may think of the death penalty, it is clearly not
the role of prisons to torture death row inmates into surrendering their
entitlements to legal review. Regarding death row inmates as "non-people"
on whom food and health care are wasted is unethical and inhumane. It is
torture.
The prison's treatment of Christa violates
international standards in numerous respects. Under
international law prisoners have the following rights:
· Treatment of prisoners with respect due to their
inherent dignity and value as human beings. They
should be supported to develop self-respect and
self-responsibility (Article 1 of the Basic Principles
for the Treatment of Prisoners, Article 10 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Article 65 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the
Treatment of Prisoners, Principle 1 of the Body of
Principles for the Protection of all Persons Under Any
Form of Detention or Imprisonment)
· Reformation and social rehabilitation should be the essential aim of
the treatment of prisoners.
Prisoners should have their individual treatment needs addressed by all
available and appropriate remedial, educational, moral and spiritual forms
of assistance (Article 10 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, Article 59 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners)
· Prisoners must not be subjected to torture or to
cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. This includes the
holding of a prisoner in conditions which deprive her of the use of any of
her natural senses. (Article 7 of the International Covenant on Civil and
Political Rights, Article 31 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment
of Prisoners, Principle 6 of the Body of Principles for the
Protection of All Persons Under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment)
· Solitary confinement is highly undesirable (Article 7 of the Basic
Principles for the Treatment of
Prisoners)
· Prisoners have the right to take part in cultural
activities and education (Article 6 of the Basic
Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners)
· Prisoners must have access to the same standard of health care
services as other citizens (Article 9 of
the Basic Principles for the Treatment of Prisoners)
· Proper psychiatric care should be provided to
prisoners suffering from mental illness. This may
include transfer to a facility which more adequately
addresses their special needs (Articles 21, 25, 62 and
82 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners)
· Prison medical officers should inform prison
directors where a prisoner's physical or mental health
has been or will be adversely affected by either
ongoing imprisonment or by any condition of
imprisonment (Article 25 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners)
· Sick prisoners in need of specialist treatment
should be transferred to a specialised institution or
to a civil hospital (Article 21 of the Standard
Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners)
· Prisoners should not suffer disciplinary
restrictions beyond that necessary for the maintenance of safe custody and
well ordered community life. Their suffering should not be exacerbated
(Articles 27 and 57 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners)
· Prisoners should not be punished in any way that jeopardises their
physical or mental health.
Prisoners being punished should have their physical
and mental health checked by a medical officer on a
daily basis. (Article 32 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners)
· Prisoners are to have access to facilities and
materials to maintain "a good appearance compatible
with self-respect" (International Covenant on Civil
and Political Rights)
· Prisoners should be allowed to receive visits from family and
friends (Article 37 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of
Prisoners, Principle 19 of the Body of Principles for the Protection of All
Persons Under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment)
· Prisoners should be regularly informed of important news items
(Article 39 of the Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners)
· Prison staff should be intelligent, well trained and educated,
professional, have a social service
orientation and be given reasonable remuneration and security of tenure
(Articles 46, 47 and 48 of the
Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners)
· Prisoners should have access to effective remedy
where their rights are violated, including by a person
acting in an official capacity (Article 2 of the
International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,
Principle 33 of the Body of Principles for the
Protection of All Persons Under Any Form of Detention or Imprisonment)