Covid in Prisons campaign

Date: March 2020 Onwards

The COVID-19 pandemic was an unprecedented global event that affected people in different ways. While many of us were able to isolate and keep our whānau safe, our whānau in prison experienced overcrowding, inadequate ventilation and deferral of essential healthcare, including access to vaccinations. 

JustSpeak campaigned to raise awareness to dangers of COVID-19 spreading in prison. This included:

• A petition to ensure the Government provided vaccinations and N95 masks to all. 

• An open letter to the Justice Sector alongside People Against Prisons Aotearoa and Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand, calling on them to do everything in their power to keep our friends and whānau in prison safe from infection. 

• Publishing an Op Ed: People in prisons are at risk: here’s how we can protect them, 

• Using social media to provide regular updates with information about what we were hearing.  

• Ongoing correspondence with decision-makers raising our concerns.