isolation

In the Federal Republic of Germany law 89 StrVollzGes regulates that a prisoner can be put into isolation, which means he can constantly be seperated from other prisoners if this is essential to maintain safety and order.

Since 1996, with a short break in 1998, i had been in continuous isolation till 2006. I spend 23 hours a day in my cell, with only a small radio, some books and binders. my postal communication is just as supervised as the visits i receive.

After a slight easing of my isolation in 2006, I was able to spend 1 hour a day in the court with 7 – 8 other inmates who were under different kinds of isolation, too. In May 2007 the solitary confinement was completely lifted.

I have already discussed at other times wether isolation is an attack to human dignity; this text is available in the archive „prison isolation“ under the title "5 years of solitary confinement“.

spending over 10 years in isolation is definitely not easy, but my mind is stable and the solidarity from outside jail is helpful and does me well.