The three of the four protesters arrested at the Department of Corrections Hamilton office last month and charged with trespass have this morning pleaded not guilty. The protest action, during which the No Pride In Prisons transgender rights activists chained themselves inside the office, was to demand that a transgender woman prisoner be removed from solitary confinement. The group says the woman is suicidal, being subjected to constant sexual harassment and her mental state is declining. Corrections says she has been put in solitary confinement for her own safety. Since their first court appearance the Auckland-based protesters have had bail conditions imposed which included not entering Hamilton and not entering any Department of Corrections property. "This is an egregious overreaction to a peaceful protest in defence of a person's safety," according to NPIP spokesperson Sophie Morgan She says the group have found the condition not to enter any Department of Corrections property "particularly shocking considering the advocacy work we need to do with prisoners. For the few weeks that we had that bail condition imposed on us, it caused huge disruptions to basic but essential advocacy activity, like prison visitations." The three protesters have been held over to re-appear in court in February. The fourth protester accepted an offer of diversion from the Police.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 12th December 2016 - 8:57pm