Belmarsh Prison: - the prisoners' report
Belmarsh Prison: - the prisoners' report
Seven of our number, who were arrested in July 1996, have been committed for trial at the Old Bailey. We were processed for arraignment without ever having the basic aid of normal open visits with our solicitors. The other four prisoners, who were arrested in September 1996, are also due to be committed for trial, again without the necessary open legal visits, enabling them to be advised or to give instructions to their legal counsel. All eleven of us have been refusing to accept the imposition of closed legal visits. The rationale for such a stance is as follows:
(a) On advice from numerous solicitors who feel strongly that we have the right to unimpeded legal advice.
(b) Because it is impossible to conduct any defence via closed visits given the complicated nature of the case(s) and case files.
(c) The closed visit regime is a direct impediment on the possibility of a fair trial
(d) The use of closed visits is in the main directed against Irish Nationalists.
(e) British Prison Rules (37(1)) state that all legal advisors of a prisoner shall be afforded reasonable facilities for legal visits.
(f) European Prison Rules (92(1-2)) also state that facilities for communication and visits must be reasonable and held in humane conditions.
Given this set of circumstances it has been impossible to conduct a proper defence under such conditions. Our solicitors are currently taking legal action to secure the right to have open legal visits.