Darwin Prison protest: NAP applaud prisoners

Members of the Northern Territory chapter of the Network Against Prohibition (NAP) have applauded prisoners for their actions at the Darwin Prison in Berrimah yesterday.

Prison officers told the ABC that about 80 inmates refused to return to their cells late yesterday morning, complaining about poor meals and a lack of activities.

Last week, NAP member Stuart Highway was jailed for three months for his involvement in a NAP-organised drug law-reform rally in October 2002.

Stuart has contacted NAP by telephone and he has described the conditions as “horrific”.

Stuart has told NAP: "They treat us worse than animals in here.

"It's like a zoo, they lock us up in cages like animals.

"People in here are forgotten."

Stuart reported that prisoners are locked down in their cells or dorms at 3pm each day (earlier on some days). They remain locked down until 8am the following day.

Stuart is currently in medium security and there are 100 prisoners in his block. The jail is so overcrowded that prisoners are sleeping on bunk beds.

The block has one telephone between 100 prisoners. There is always a queue.

Stuart said that the people in the prison are not criminals, they are ordinary people. He said that despite the appalling conditions, the prisoners treat each-other with respect.

"It is amazing people keep their cool. There is terrific solidarity."

NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said: “Supreme Court Justice Trevor Riley has made a big mistake by jailing Stuart Highway.”

The Network Against Prohibition has launched a campaign to free Stuart Highway. For more information click here.

You can contact the NAP team on 0415 16 2525 (+61 415 16 2525 from overseas).

You can read the ABC report here.