Why This Matters

1️⃣ Human Lives Are at Immediate Risk

• Ekong Eshiet, protesting racist abuse, self-immolated and has been retaliated against repeatedly since. Most recently he was moved, despite his and our demands, to Indiana. He's now hundreds of miles away from family and all of his property from Virginia is being withheld at Red Onion.

• Michael Goumenis has a 1-inch hole in his chin from an untreated spider bite. PA Holbrook refuses to provide care.

• Roy Moffett has painful MRSA sores in his mouth and has been unable to keep food down since late March. He has been severely distressed and without proper medical care and mental healthcare, and recently self-harmed with huge gashes in his arms as a result.

2️⃣ This Is Systemic Torture

• Scabies outbreaks are ignored, transgender individuals like Raven Blackheart are humiliated, and guards stab incarcerated people with impunity.

• Retaliation is the norm: Winning a lawsuit? Guards impose $25/day fines. Reporting abuse? You’re labeled a “snitch” and assaulted.

3️⃣ We’ve Seen This Before—And We Can Stop It

• Past campaigns forced temporary reforms, but guards escalate abuse when the spotlight fades. Sustained pressure saves lives.

What We’re Demanding

• ✅ Immediate Transfers for Roy, Raven, Randy, and others to safe facilities.

• ✅ Prosecute Abusive Staff, including COs who stabbed an incarcerated person and PA Holbrook, who denies life-saving care.

• ✅ End Degrading Policies like forced nudity for transgender individuals and fabricated fines.

• ✅ Treat the Scabies Outbreak and provide hygiene supplies.

How You Can Help

By participating in this email campaign, you amplify the voices of those trapped inside. Every message sent:

• Disrupts the DOC’s ability to ignore atrocities.

• Builds public records of abuse for lawsuits and media.

• Shows incarcerated people they are not forgotten.

“I’ll set my whole body on fire before I stay here. I would rather die than endure this torture.”
— Ekong Eshiet, October 2024

Take Action Now
Click the tool to send this demand letter to Virginia officials. Share widely—lives depend on collective courage.

#ShutDownRedOnion #PrisonAbolitionNOW #BreakTheSilence

Note to Activists:
This campaign is part of a sustained movement to dismantle state violence. After sending your email:
➡️ Follow @uproaragainstrepression for live updates, prisoner testimonies, and urgent action alerts.
➡️ Amplify this campaign by tagging @uproaragainstrepression in your posts and using the hashtags below.
➡️ Join the fight long-term: Sign up at bit.ly/join-uproar to connect with organizers and build power against prison torture.

Solidarity is our power. Together, we’ll turn uproar into liberation.