In the dysfunctional monotony of prison, letters from the outside are a break in the routine, a little bridge beyond the walls. But, even as drugs and weapons flood over their walls via remote-controlled drones, the UK’s prisons are putting their limited resources into blocking political prisoners’ post.

For months, volunteers have been pulling together news on the climate crisis and the genocide in Gaza to be sent each week to prisoners locked up for taking action with Just Stop Oil and Palestine Action. Many prisoners, especially those from Palestine Action, have never been given these letters. Some do get through the net, and a lucky few have received all of them. As with many other aspects of prison, who gets what is quite random.
It’s difficult to know what the motivation could be for restricting access to mainstream news on the climate crisis because someone has taken action with Just Stop Oil. Beyond returning post with “Not allowed” scribbled on the envelope, the prisons won’t explain their decisions, and they’re not obliged to.
But their censorship isn’t just limited to letters. Even newspapers delivered to prisons routinely have stories ripped out if they are connected to the “crimes” for which political prisoners have been locked up.

Keeping communications personal and unpolitical doesn’t guarantee delivery. Fatema Zainab Rajwani was detained in August 2024 for destroying weapons belonging to Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, Elbit Systems, in Bristol. Initially remanded on terrorist charges which have since been dropped, Fatema’s friends and family had great difficulty getting any letters into her, with the prison claiming the post wasn’t appropriate for her.
They refused to even let her have drawings from children that Fatema worked with before being locked up.
Many prisoners have also had post containing important information and advice for defending themselves in court blocked. This includes documents explaining how to provide character references to the court, information on how to have someone present to support them during the trial and evidence about the climate crisis, like the IPCC’s report.
Many prisoners have also had post containing important information and advice for defending themselves in court blocked. This includes documents explaining how to provide character references to the court, information on how to have someone present to support them during the trial and evidence about the climate crisis, like the IPCC’s report.

The barriers between prison and the outside world are not limited to writing. Roger Hallam, one of the Whole Truth Five imprisoned for five years in July, has been trying to get hold of a hat, scarf and gloves since October.
His friends and family are trying to send in what he needs, but after months of no success, and a freezing December trapped in his cell because he was too ill to go outside, Roger is still without the basic winter clothes.
Unlike thousands of their fellow inmates, the UK’s political prisoners are not alone in their struggle to be treated respectfully. CASP and the Rebels in Prison Support team work around the clock to ensure those on the inside stay connected to all of us on the outside. We stay alert to prisoners being mistreated, we help apply pressure when and where we can, and, importantly, we won’t stop sending letters, even if they don’t all reach their destinations.