After over a week without any answers, we were finally able to locate our dear friend Malik. We got no information from ODOC, BOP, or any other DOC—the only reason we were able to find them is because they were able to send a letter. They still haven’t gotten an attorney call.
Malik is currently being held in South Carolina. ODOC chose to send them as far as they could away from their lawyer and support base, to another state carceral system on the complete other side of the country. This is a blatant attempt to isolate Malik and break down their support system. Moving an inmate from one state system to another like this is highly unusual and represents an alarming escalation.
In the short time they’ve been in South Carolina, Malik has been horrifically mistreated, with SCDC cutting off their hair and forcing them into an overcrowded cell where they have to sleep on the ground. They are currently being held at the Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center (a holdover facility) and they have no idea how long they will be there before they are transferred elsewhere. Some inmates have been kept there for months and months with extremely limited access to basic things like showers and comms. Holdover life is in many ways as bad or worse than solitary, since inmates have no property, no programming, and few chances to leave their cells. We know from Casey Goonan’s account of their recent prolonged holdover time at Mendoza what a toll this time can take. We don’t know how long Malik will be at their current location, but we hope it won’t be long.
The recent escalation in Malik’s treatment comes as the state has dramatically increased repression of antifascists. It’s only been a couple of weeks since the verdict in the first Prairieland court case showed that the state will use torture, intimidation, and blatant lies to get its way when it comes to repressing antifascism and advancing its “Antifa Scare” agenda. Malik’s removal to SC is yet another example of the state targeting them for their identity and their antifascist politics.
Malik only gets two envelopes a month and has no other access to comms at the moment, but you can still write to them to express your support. Please do so:
Malik F Muhammed #400523
Kirkland Reception and Evaluation Center A1-50
4344 Broad River Road
Columbia, SC 29210