The following is a post from Sean Swain’s support team.
Virginia Department of Corrections has blocked Anarchist Prisoner Sean Swain’s communications
Long time Anarchist Prisoner Sean Swain has had his access to JPay, telephone, and video visitation wrongfully suspended by VADOC. The suspension began on September 3rd and extends until March, a total of six months. Restricting a prisoner’s access to the outside world is inhumane, and we believe that VADOC is carrying this suspension out in violation of their own policies and procedures.
Here is what we know:
- Sean’s JPay and phone access were suspended on September 3rd for 6 months due to a stated reason that VADOC didn’t approve of something he had said on JPay and telephone. Video visitation was also revoked at some point after, but it is not clear if this is related.
- Sean did not receive a Disciplinary Hearing prior to this suspension. It is VADOC’s disciplinary policy (OP 861.1) to hold a Disciplinary Hearing before penalties can be imposed. Documents related to Disciplinary Hearings are kept on file for three years. However, a FOIA request for documentation of Sean’s Disciplinary Hearing produced a statement saying that no such documents exist. Without a Disciplinary Hearing, Sean cannot appeal this suspension.
- Policy also says that authorized forms of discipline include suspension of 1 or 2 privileges, for a maximum of 60 or 90 calendar days, depending on the severity of the violation. Visitation, JPay use, and telephone use are counted as 3 separate privileges. Sean’s support team has collectively reached out to a number of VADOC officials concerning this matter, but no one has been able to provide a clear answer as to why VADOC was able to impose a penalty deviating from standard policy.
- We also suspect that Sean’s regular mail has been intentionally withheld, as multiple letters have been returned to senders for vague reasons. No one at VADOC has been able to answer to this, either.
We are asking the broader support community to write letters and let us know when, so that we can keep a running log of mail that is sent to Sean.
We are also asking supporters and friends to continue to pressure VADOC officials* with questions about their violations of their own policies, as well as make FOIA requests, so that we can hold VADOC accountable for their actions. Prison officials are used to throwing their weight around and not being questioned. The last thing we want is for them to continue to believe that they can squash any questions that do arise with their imagined authority.
We are keeping a file of their responses, as Sean has a domestic torture case currently under review by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR). Any documentation that we can acquire may help his case. You can now follow Sean’s support team on Instagram for updates.
Thank you Swainiacs! You are the resistance.
*The five VADOC officials directly involved in the suspension are A. David Robinson, George Hinkle, Moose Fleming, John Woodson, and Teresa Harvey.