Prison Mail Rights: August 21st, 2019

Cabinet ministers are discussing changes to the Correction Act, on what mail can be sent and received by Prisoners. This comes after Corrections MInister Kelvin Davis reveals the alleged shooter of the Christchurch terror attacks sent five letters to people’s unidentified by Corrections. The letter was sent to a supporter in Russia, which was then posted on the website 4chan, popular with the alt-right, and white supremacists. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden says discussions included whether the current law takes into account mail being published to a wider audience or captures broad hate speech. However corrections chief executive Christine stevenson has accepted its staff could have withheld those letters under current law. 

Sherry spoke to barrister Marie Dyhrberg and People Against Prison Aotearoa’s Emilie Rakete on whether the current legislation is sufficient in stopping abusive, threatening content and hate speech being sent from prisons.