I'm writing to let you know about two very significant developments in the struggle to overturn the ban of Revolution newspaper at Pelican Bay and Chuckawalla State Prisons in California and all prisons.

First, I'm glad to announce that Prisoners Revolutionary Literature Fund (PRLF) has retained the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Southern California (ACLUF) as our legal counsel in our efforts to overturn the ban of Revolution newspaper at Pelican Bay and Chuckawalla State Prisons. The ACLUF has already filed a request under the Public Records Act of California for all documents held by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR) regarding their decision not to permit Revolution newspaper to be delivered to prisoners in those two prisons.

The ACLUF has also sent "demand letters" to those two prisons to lift the blanket ban on Revolution, and allowing for its distribution to prisoners to be permitted. They have  requested a response by June 21, 2010.

Second, "in response to recent letters received by Pelican Bay State Prison concerning a 'Ban on Revolution Newspaper', as well as printed articles in (Revolution) reflecting concern over the same", Pelican Bay prison officials are attempting to cover up overwhelming evidence of that ban. In a May 21, 2010 letter to RCP Publications (publisher of Revolution newspaper), PBSP officials assert that the ban was all a mistake because their February 10 letter to RCP Publications, which announced the ban, "was missing four very important words: 'This weekly issue of.'"

PRLF has posted the initial (February, 2010) letters banning Revolution from Pelican Bay and Chuckawalla State Prisons on our website, along with some of the official disapproval notices received by Pelican Bay prisoners who appealed the ban, and the May 21 letter from Pelican Bay authorities for all to see. 

The new issue of Revolution, #203, June 7, 2010, has an in-depth analysis of these developments. 45 subscribers at Pelican Bay have been deprived of months of issues of Revolution, going back as far as October, 2009.

The Revolution article sums this up well, "Now is the time to press our demands. The new letter from PBSP is in essence a cover-up of unconstitutional and inhumane practices, thus heaping outrage on top of outrage. It would set a horrible precedent to allow PBSP to get away with a cover-up on top of the actual institution of the ban. Successfully fighting the ban and holding the prison authorities accountable has far-reaching implications not only for Revolution and its prison subscribers, but for the rights of all prisoners to due process and to explore the full range of philosophical and political ideas about the world."

There are several things you can do to help overturn this ban on Revolution:

If you haven't already, sign the statement to Overturn the Ban.

PRLF and the Northern and Southern California Committees to Overturn the Ban are raising money to publish the statement to OTB in print media. Donate.

Forward this email to friends, family, and others you know, and ask them to sign the statement and donate (link) much needed funds.

PRLF posts new letters from prisoners to our website weekly. I encourage you to read one or two more than you've read so far.

These letters are made possible by your financial and political support of PRLF which sends Revolution newspaper and other revolutionary literature in to prisoners. Your financial support and active participation in the campaign to overturn the ban on Revolution newspaper are crucial in stopping prison officials from silencing these voices, and expanding PRLF's efforts to reach more prisoners throughout the country.