BY FRANK FORRESTAL
CHICAGO, Illinois-"It is now over three months since political and union activist Mark Curtis was told by the Iowa State Board of Parole that he had won his freedom," John Studer, national coordinator of the Mark Curtis Defense Committee, told the three dozen activists gathered here February 27 at the Agape House at the University of Illinois. This was the first meeting of the committee since its international center moved to Chicago two weeks ago.
"Since then," Studer reported, "the Illinois Department of Corrections has refused to approve his request for an out- of-state parole to Chicago, where his wife Kate Kaku lives." And Iowa prison authorities have taken advantage of his prolonged imprisonment to try to limit the rights of Curtis and other inmates, by holding up three articles he has sent to the Militant since December.
The defense committee has launched a letter-writing campaign to put pressure on prison officials to end their censorship, and to demand that Curtis be released from prison right away.
On February 16 Vivian Sneed, the corrections official assigned to Curtis's application, told his lawyer that Illinois authorities were rejecting his parole to Chicago because he did not have "family" there. This rejection comes after they were sent voluminous evidence of the decade-long relationship between Curtis and Kaku. In addition, Curtis submitted three job offers that are awaiting his arrival in Chicago. But Sneed ruled that because Curtis and Kaku's marriage is "common law," it does not count, and Curtis has no "ties" to Illinois that would justify his parole there.
"At the same time, Mark now faces unprecedented censorship from prison officials at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison, where he remains imprisoned," Studer told the meeting. "Over the last two months, three articles he wrote for the Militant have been seized by prison authorities. Curtis has submitted numerous articles to the paper during the seven years he has been imprisoned, including writing a regular column, `From Behind Prison Walls.' Despite Curtis's requests, prison authorities have so far refused to give him a reason for this censorship."
Curtis sent the first article, on reactions among fellow inmates to his parole, in December. He mailed the second item in early January. This article focused on the increased hiring of prison guards across the United States and reported on an assembly of inmates in the exercise yard at the Iowa State Penitentiary in Fort Madison to discuss the administration's decision to impose a smoking ban. Curtis sent a third article in early February, this time a compilation of items from his mail bag. He's now working on a fourth article on the discussions among inmates on Washington's aggression against Cuba.
The Militant has sent a formal protest to prison authorities, demanding Curtis's mail to the paper be released immediately.
Since Curtis was informed that his application for parole to Illinois was rejected, he and Kaku have begun the process of formalizing their marriage. On February 21 they filed a signed and notarized application for a license with the Lee County Clerk in Iowa, who has jurisdiction over the prison.
However, Curtis has now been told that the warden claims the power to interfere in their personal affairs-even though, under Iowa law, the prison already lists the two as married.
"Prison chaplain Delwin Vande Krol told Mark that a form informing Kate of the charges for which he was convicted and asking why she wants to marry a prisoner has to be sent to her, signed, and returned," Studer told the February 27 meeting. "Then Mark meets with the chaplain, who makes a determination whether to recommend to the warden whether the marriage should be allowed to take place. If the warden decides to permit the wedding, it must meet strict guidelines set by the prison. Overall, Vande Krol told Curtis, the process could take up to two months.
"If the wedding is allowed, and after it is concluded, Mark can send a copy of the license and ask Illinois corrections authorities to reopen his application for parole," Studer said.
Letter-writing campaign launched
"We need to launch a public campaign immediately to move
to reverse these attacks on Curtis," Studer proposed to the
meeting. "We need to organize to press prison authorities to
reverse their censorship of Curtis's articles and to let Mark
know that we will continue to fight alongside him until he is
free."
After the meeting concluded, the activists present put out a 400-piece mailing to Curtis supporters around the world. The letter was also e-mailed to dozens of organized groups of Curtis supporters, from Miami to New Zealand.
The mailing urges supporters to write to Warden Gerardo Acevedo at the Iowa State Penitentiary, Box 316, Fort Madison, Iowa 52627, urging prison authorities to reverse their censorship policy and release Mark's articles.
"Take this fact sheet to supporters of free speech-unionists, anti-censorship groups such as PEN, prison watchdog organizations like the ACLU National Prison Project, political activists, and others-asking them to write to the warden," the defense committee urges.
The committee also asks supporters of freedom for Mark Curtis to write the framed-up unionist immediately.
"Express your continuing solidarity with his fight," the mailing asks. "Write to Mark Curtis #805338, Iowa State Penitentiary, Box 316, Fort Madison, Iowa 52627." The letter asks supporters to let Curtis know their view of the refusal of Illinois authorities to allow him parole and what they think of the prison officials' interference into his and Kaku's personal lives.
"And tell him that the attempt by the prison to censor his articles," the defense committee circular continues, "his right to communicate with those on the outside, is a blow to free speech. Let him know that you intend to follow each step of his fight for freedom and are ready to help in any way possible.
"Ask your co-workers, those you collaborate with in politics, and your fellow union members to write as well. Distributing widely the Pathfinder pamphlet Why Is Mark Curtis Still in Prison? will serve as the best explanation of the stakes in this fight."
The Mark Curtis Defense Committee asks that copies of letters to prison authorities and to the imprisoned political activist be sent to its address, Box 477419, Chicago, Illinois, 60647.