April 1, 2021: New York, New York
In response to Governor Andrew Cuomo signing the HALT Solitary Confinement Act into law, Jose Saldana, Director of the Release Aging People in Prison Campaign released the following statement:
“This is a people’s victory. For far too long, countless people have needlessly suffered and died in solitary confinement in New York State prisons and jails. I myself spent 18 months in solitary confinement. My co-defendant has spent 23 years in solitary confinement. This barbaric, racist practice has ruined so many lives, and soon, it will come to an end. The HALT Act represents change, hope, and justice for New Yorkers. We thank the #HALTsolitary Campaign for their tireless effort to make this happen. We also thank members of the Legislature, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie, and Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins for making this bill a priority and getting it over the finish line. We look forward to working with communities and legislators across New York State to move forward to the next frontier in our collective effort to end mass incarceration: parole justice. Now that we’ve HALTed solitary, it’s time for state lawmakers to pass the Elder Parole and Fair and Timely Parole bills. Let’s continue to make 2021 an historic year for justice in New York State.”