Release Robert Brown from Long Term Isolation

On June 19 of 2005 a young man was assaulted by a correctional officer (CO) in Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution, resulting in righteous outrage by many fellow inmates. This incident led to a large confrontation between CO's and prisoners protesting the abuse. Mr. Robert Brown was one of the prisoners identified as leading the protest and was accused of kicking a CO during the long confrontation that took place. Mr. Brown was charged with assault and is now facing 90 months in a long term isolation cell in Oregon's Intensive Management Unit.

In the time preceding his 90 month sentence but following the aforementioned charges, Mr. Brown was involved in a hunger strike/phone strike to protest new restrictive phone policies at Snake River Correctional Institution. The CO's at SRCI responded by entering his cell and beating him and spraying him with tear gas. He was then transported to Two Rivers Correctional Institution. There he was involved in another hunger strike protesting the new phone policy and CO brutality, before being sentenced to 90 months IMU, which is where he is currently being held (since September 2005).

We are outraged at the brutality that led up to the incidents at EOCI and that Mr. Brown himself has faced in retaliation for his organizing efforts and political beliefs. The resources being spent to prosecute Mr. Brown would be better spent on an investigation into the beating of the young man on June 19th, in an effort to prevent similar incidents within the Oregon Department of Corrections in the future.

We, the undersigned, demand that Robert Brown be released from the Intensive Management Unit (IMU). The use of long term isolation cells to control people who are working for basic human rights in prisons is unacceptable and counter to the goals of any effective prison system. All prisoners deserve access to exercise, education and other programs to better themselves during their incarceration. Mr. Brown should be returned to general population where he can continue his work to reduce violence between rival groups by uniting prisoners around common interests.