Celebrations of New Zealand’s extension of votes to women
are premature, says prisoner advocacy organisation People
Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA). Data provided to the
organisation under the Official Information Act shows that
on our last election day, thousands of people were
unconstitutionally prevented from voting.
“New
Zealanders are supposed to have the human right to vote for
a government that represents them. Today we are celebrating
125 years since women were acknowledged to have this right.
However, all people who have been sentenced to prison had
their human right to vote stripped from them in
2010.”
“According to information provided to us by the
Department of Corrections, on election day last year more
than 7,000 New Zealanders were legally prohibited from
exercising their democratic rights.”
“Today many of us
are celebrating the victory of the Women’s Suffrage
movement. The decision to strip prisoners of the vote means
that for hundreds of women across the country, today is a
reminder that they have had this right taken away from
them.”
“People Against Prisons Aotearoa demands that,
if New Zealand’s democracy is legitimate, the Government
immediately repeal all legislation preventing prisoners from
exercising their right to
vote.”
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