Prison authorities at the Lower Buckeye Jail in Phoenix — the largest detention facility in Arizona — banned the Nov. 11, 2024, issue of the Militant. The Militant is appealing the ruling, asking supporters of civil liberties and prisoners’ political rights to join in getting this unconstitutional ban reversed.
In response to an inquiry by Militant attorney David Goldstein, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office representative Juan Garza wrote Dec. 26, “There is a photo on the cover of the newspaper that was found to violate MCSO policy. The photo in question has several armed men surrounding a prone woman in the bed of a pickup truck. MCSO does not allow photos of weaponry.”
An inmate subscriber in the jail informed the Militant about the ban in a letter sent to the paper Nov. 13. He enclosed a copy of the Central Mail Rejection Notification form he was given that day saying the newspaper was unacceptable because of its “inappropriate content” and “inappropriate photos.”
“During seven years of receiving the Militant I have never been through an inappropriate process to stop me receiving the Militant,” he wrote. “For my part, I will begin a process to be able to continue receiving the Militant since I am a fan of the Militant and I love reading its content.” On Dec. 13 he filed a grievance urging jail officials to reverse their position and give the issue to him.
He recently informed the Militant he has received every issue since the ban.
The photo the institution objects to shows armed Hamas thugs with a woman in a pickup truck they had just seized in Israel and taken to Khan Younis, Gaza, as a hostage during the murderous Oct. 7, 2023, anti-Jewish pogrom.
Just about every major newspaper in the country carried similar pictures in their reporting on the pogrom. And they often show guns or other weaponry in coverage of the battles in defense of Ukraine’s sovereignty against Moscow’s attacks, conflicts worldwide from Sudan to Syria, the recent deadly assault on revelers in New Orleans and much more. Maricopa County’s ban would lead to shutting out of the prison virtually every publication, denying news and discussion of politics to workers behind bars.
A review of stories and photos that have appeared in recent issues of the Arizona Republic, the largest newspaper in the state, include: a photo of the type of gun used in the attempt to assassinate Donald Trump last September; an Israeli army howitzer deployed along the country’s border with Gaza as part of fighting against Hamas’ terrorist attacks; armed cops searching suspects; and much more.
Goldstein filed the Militant’s appeal of the ban to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Jan. 13, along with copies of the Arizona Republic photos. The appeal was also sent to the Ancillary Services Division Commander.
“This impoundment violates the constitutional rights of prisoners to read political literature of their choice and to form their own opinions about important political developments in the U.S. and worldwide,” said Militant editor John Studer. “It also deals a blow to freedom of the press, as well as the right of the Militant to reach the growing number of readers it has among workers behind bars.”
The Militant is currently mailed to over 300 inmate subscribers in 156 state, federal and municipal prisons in 29 states. No other prison has informed the Militant that they rejected issue no. 42, the one Arizona’s Lower Buckeye Jail impounded.
Join the fight! Get out the word and send letters urging prison authorities in Maricopa County to reverse their decision. Email them to JuanGarza@MCSO.Maricopa.gov, to the attention of Ancillary Services Division Commander, with copies to the Militant.