We were devastated to hear about the passing of Stanley, a 19-year-old Aboriginal man who took his own life in custody in WA and our thoughts go to his family and loved ones. Since the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody handed down its findings almost 30 years ago, 438 of our people have died in police or prison cells and no one was held accountable for their death.
The same week Stanley passed away, Victoria started the inquest into the death in custody of proud Gunditjmara, Dja Dja Wurrung, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta woman Veronica Nelson who died at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in January 2020.
In April this year, the Coroner’s inquest found that systemic racism was a factor in the death of Yorta Yorta woman Tanya Day.
We want accountability now. We want all Aboriginal women in prison on remand or for non violent offenses to be released. Prisons are not safe.
We support NATSILS policy statement Black Lives Matter: always have, always will.
#BlackLivesMatter #JusticeForTanyaDay