Stephen sackur speaks to formerly jailed black panther, albert woodfox. Welcome to hardtalk, im stephen sackur. There are some human experiences which most of us find very hard to get our heads around. My guest today experienced the unimaginable torment of more than four decades in solitary confinement in a tiny cell in one of americas most notorious prisons. Albert woodfox was the victim of ingrained racism and brutality inside americas system of criminaljustice. He is now a free man. But what does freedom really mean after everything he has been through . Albert woodfox, welcome to hardtalk. Thank you. Here you are, in london as a free man. But given everything you have been through, is it possible for you to ever feel truly free . Yeah, i mean philosophically, mentally and emotionally i was free long before my physicalfreedom. And so that was a part of my survival technique. It allowed me to survive being in solitary confinement for such a long period of time. I wonder in terms of,
About to tell me. Not a trick question. I raise the question because your testimony that was submitted to the committee talked a lot about home grown violent extremists. In an and classified f. B. I. D. H. S. Joint intelligence bulleting in may, 2017, it found that white supremacist extremism poses persistent threat of lethal violence. Went on to say White Supremacists are responsible for more homicides from 2000 to 2016 than any other domestic extremist movement. Seven members of the committee joined me in writing a letter to you and attorney general barr explaining our concern about whether the fbi and department of justice were taking adequate measures to combat white supremacist violence minimizing the domestic terrorism threat. The term white supremacist, white natiolist is not included in your statement to the committee when you talk about threats to america. Theres a reference to racism which i think probably was meant to include that, but nothing more specific. We live in a wor
Try to stay in your bedroom for 23 hours. Go in your backyard, draw a box, nine feet by six feet and stay now on bbc news its hardtalk. In there for 23 hours. Welcome to hardtalk, im stephen sackur. There are some human experiences which most of us find very hard to get our heads around. My guest today experienced now multiply thati million times. The unimaginable torment of more than four decades in solitary confinement in a tiny cell in one of americas most notorious prisons. To add to that, you know there was absolutely nothing you can do to change the Albert Woodfox was the victim situation you are in. Of ingrained racism and brutality and add to that the attitude and behaviour of the guards inside americas system who are responsible for you. Of criminaljustice. He is now a free man. That was a huge element in the, but what does freedom really mean after everything he has been through . Lets use the word, torture that was imposed upon you. Now they refer to them as correction Alber
Fibre of american society. Im rico hizon in singapore. And the brutality of racism had not also in the programme now on bbc news its hardtalk. Changed in its application. A bbc investigation hears from women whove accused top afghan it had just changed welcome to hardtalk, government officials im stephen sackur. Of sexual harassment. There are some human experiences in how it was applied. And australia pledges to hold which most of us find very hard a referendum on recognising Indigenous People in to get our heads around. But i am mindful that you walked out in the year that barack 0bama my guest today experienced served his last year as president the nations constitution. Of the United States of america, the unimaginable torment of more than four decades in solitary the first black man to hold that position. Live from our studios in singapore can you really say that nothing had confinement in a tiny cell in one and london, this is bbc world news. Its changed in 44 years . Of americas
Now on bbc news, hardtalk. Welcome to hardtalk, im stephen sackur. There are some human experiences which most of us find very hard to get our heads around. My guest today experienced the unimaginable torment of more than four decades in solitary confinement in a tiny cell in one of americas most notorious prisons. Albert woodfox was the victim of ingrained racism and brutality inside americas system of criminaljustice. He is now a free man. But what does freedom really mean after everything he has been through . Albert woodfox, welcome to hardtalk. Here you are, in london as a free man. But given everything you have been through, is it possible for you to ever feel truly free . Yeah, i mean philosophically, mentally and emotionally i was free long before my physicalfreedom. And so that was a part of my survival technique. It allowed me to survive being in solitary confinement for such a long period of time. I wonder in terms of, literally in terms of muscle memory, whether the way you