People Against Prisons Aotearoa

Following four simultaneous actions at Department of Corrections offices nationwide last week, prison advocacy group No Pride in Prisons reaffirms its commitment to advocating for a suicidal transgender woman in 23-hour lockdown.

“Corrections denied a vulnerable suicidal person access to human contact, then withdrew her access to phone counselling when she spoke to media about her situation. We chose to take urgent action because we fear for her life,” spokesperson Emilie Rākete says.

“Corrections has continued to maintain that 23-hour lockdown is the safest place for this woman, but she has been very clear that if she is not moved out of isolation soon she will be leaving in a body bag.”

No Pride in Prisons says all the international evidence shows that solitary confinement and isolation exacerbates mental health issues and suicidality. “People placed in solitary are more likely to attempt suicide, experience psychosis, experience PTSD on release, and are less prepared to reintegrate into society upon release.”

“Once again Corrections have proven that it would rather do nothing and let prisoners suffer and die alone than ask them what they need.”

“According to a Department of Corrections study, the suicide rate in prisons is four times higher than the national rate. When nearly one in twenty prisoners attempts suicide in a given year, the role of incarceration must be part of any national conversation on suicide prevention.”

“This woman’s mental and physical health are incredibly compromised right now,” Rākete continues. “Corrections has punished her for speaking to media about the appalling conditions she has experienced by withdrawing her access to counselling. This is absolutely unacceptable.”

“According to the Corrections Act 2004, prisoners must receive a standard of care that is reasonably equivalent to that available to the public. Preventing a suicidal young woman from accessing counselling because she exercised her freedom of speech in desperation is decidedly substandard healthcare.”

Ahi Wi-Hongi, National Coordinator of Gender Minorities Aotearoa, agrees. “When a society decides to use prisons instead of prevention and rehabilitation, it decides that vulnerable people are going to be locked away without control over their own lives.

"It strips our tino rangatiratanga. If a person is held captive, the captors need to ensure the person’s humanity is held. Holding someone in isolation without human contact violates their humanity. No one can be ok under those conditions, and as a society we are all responsible.”

“There is absolutely no reason whatsoever for solitary confinement to be used as either punishment or for safety,” Rākete repeats.

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