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Free Satpal Ram 1997 The Judge sentenced him to life
On the 12 December 1997 the parole board put back Satpal's, Parole Review for two years. to12 December 1999. In their rejection letter the Parole Board admitted that the constant moving ( "Ghosting") of Satpal from prison to prison is not helping him and recommended that Satpal be allowed to stay in one prison for a significant period of time. Since this recommendation Satpal has been moved twice first on Saturday 24 January 98 to HMP Wolds, Everthorpe, North Humberside and on 28 March 98 to HMP Frankland, CO Durham.
Since 1994 Satpal Ram has been subject to a programme called "continual assessment". Under this scheme he is moved from prison to prison, sometimes every four weeks. This means that he cannot be assessed at all, let alone continually. As a result the parole board could not consider his case properly. He is kept mostly in segregation (on the block) effectively he is undergoing continual persecution a Double Punishment for a crime which he did not commit. Because he objects to this treatment he is termed disruptive. This is then used to justify further "Continual Assessment" (persecution). He should be in an open prison now preparing for release because he has served his 11 year tariff. It seems the Home Office want to lock him up for ever. Jim Wilson solicitor for Satpal
On the block, "Punishment Block" this means solitary confinement for discipline and good order, which in practice means punishment, a prison within in a prison.. The "Block" is about an enhanced regime, no association, no bedding in the cell during the day, clothing and footwear placed outside the cell at night, regular inspections, constant checking to see you're behaving yourself. It's Catch 22, Satpal Ram just like the Birmingham Six and the Gilford Four and the Bridgwater Four, is at a disadvantage not because of his criminal conviction, but his conviction that he is innocent of the crime for which he is doing his sentence. The Parole Board runs assessments on the basis of risk of re-offending, and their logic is perverse to anybody who is convinced of their innocence. It goes like this: "You say you're innocent but we have a committal warrant which says you are guilty. We are going to work on that basis whether you agree or not. "If you continue to deny your offence then we can not start offending behaviour work with you to reduce the risk of re-offending. "As you are not doing offending behaviour work your risk of offending remains high, "Therefor we will not consider parole."
The power of support from outside. Communication of any sort will be precious to Satpal Ram, and your support regardless of apparent lack of progress will never be futile if it keeps his hopes alive! Write to: Satpal Ram Fax a letter of protest to The Minister for Prisons and Probation,
Joyce Quin:
Notes : Attached is the letter from Satpal Ram and the letter from the parole board' Satpal's letter is not correct when he says' Jack Straw has increased his tariff, Jack Straw has upheld the decision of the Parole Board. Any queries please ring John O Sidgi Kaballo Russ Spring Memorandum: Received 6 January 1998 From: Parole and Lifer Group Date: 6 January 1998 Your Ref: To: The Governor Re: Satpal Ram E94164 Please inform the above named prisoner as follows: "The secretary of State has referred your case to the Parole Board which has not recommended your release on licence for the following reasons: "Although Mr. Ram accepts that he caused the death of his victim, he maintains that his actions did not amount to murder. His behaviour while in custody has been unsatisfactory. He states that he is not a violent man but reports indicate that there have been repeated episodes of violence and other unacceptable behaviour. He has not under taken any offence related work. Mr. Ram should be aware that the Parole Board is required to proceed on the assumption that prisoners have committed those offences of which they have been convicted or to which they have pleaded guilty. In the light of Mr. Ram's behaviour while in custody and his failure to undertake offence related work, which may be due at least in part to his repeated moves between prisons at short intervals of time, the panel felt unable to conclude that the risk of further violence has been reduced to a level at which it could recommend his release or transfer to open conditions. Nethertheless, the panel was concerned about the way in which Mr. Ram has been and is being moved between prisons and considered it important that he is permitted to stay at one prison for a significant period of time to enable him to settle and for appropriate offence related work to be undertaken. The Panel recommended that Mr. Ram's next parole review should begin in two years time" In these circumstances the Secretary of State has no power to release you at this stage. Your next Parole Board review will begin in December 1999. The Secretary of State has noted the comments made by the Parole Board regarding the numerous movements of Mr. Ram from one prison to another. However, it will be difficult to meet the panel's concerns unless Mr. Ram makes a conscious effort to refrain from disruptive behaviour and to cooperage with prison staff in working on any areas of concern which they may identify". Miss N. QuinQuenel
23 January 1998 From: Dear Friends On the 12 December 1997 the parole board rejected my application for parole. I have been informed that I will have to serve an additional two years before my case next comes up for review. I have now served over 11 years in prison primarily for defending myself against a racially motivated attack. During this time I have consistently challenged the very basis of my conviction, my last appeal having been rejected in November 1995. Clearly, had the parole board based their decision on an interpretation of the facts then I should not be in prison today. I have already served the sentence which was imposed upon me by the then Chief Justice, Lord Lane. Who recommended that I serve 10 Years in prison. This tariff expired in November 1996. I am now being made to serve an additional sentence, my tariff having been increased by the present Home Secretary, Jack Straw. To put my situation in to perspective I have been the victim of two racist attacks. The first occurred back in November 1986 when I was forced to defend my life against an assailant who stabbed me with broken glass, after subjecting me to a torrent of racial abuse. The second has been a sustained attack by the British State. Right from the very onset of my involvement within the criminal justice system. My arrest at the hands of the police, my subsequent trial and conviction by the judiciary and lastly my treatment at the hands of the penal system. During my time in prison I have suffered many indignities and hardships the abuse and maltreatment that I have had to endure and the injustices which have been perpetrated against me amount to a flagrant violation of Human Rights. I have been put through a process where I have been systematically abused. I am frequently transferred (Ghosted) from prison to prison, having to date been moved 53 times. I have endured years of mental cruelty, I am often held in total isolation in solitary confinement, having to endure prolonged periods of deprivation, psychological abuse, constant intimidation, starvation diets and physical torture. On numerous occasions I have been shackled in a body belt and thrown into strip cells having to sleep on the floor cold and naked for days on end. the guards often display sadistic tendencies and specialise in humiliation and degradation they often enforce their own rules by terrorising those within their grasp. It is against this background that I have spent many years protesting against my wrongful conviction. I feel that I have suffered in more ways than one and that I should now be released from prison. My continued imprisonment is totally unjustifiable and goes against the principles of natural justice. I would ask anyone concerned with justice to support me in my fight for freedom. Please send letters of protest to: Jack Straw or fax your protest the number is 0171-273-3965 from outside UK +44-171-273-3965 Thank you for your support Yours Sincerely Satpal Ram "Truth makes me the enemy of all liars" (Hassan 1998)
We understand that Satpal is about to be "Ghosted" again so please send any letters for Satpal, to: Free Satpal Ram Campaign PO Box 3241 E-Mail FreeSatpalRam@ncadc.demon.co.uk
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