NYCLU to Court: Mayor Adams’s Refusal to Implement NYC Solitary Ban is Illegal 

NEW YORK CITY – Today, the New York Civil Liberties Union submitted an amicus brief in support of the New York City Council’s challenge to Mayor Adams’s emergency order blocking the city’s solitary confinement ban. In response, the New York Civil Liberties Union released the following statement attributable to Staff Attorney Ify Chikezie: 

“With this amicus, we are joining the fight against Mayor Adams’s emergency order, which is an unprecedented abuse of power that perpetuates harm against those incarcerated at Rikers.  

“Implementing Local Law 47, which bans the use of solitary confinement, is a necessary step to help address the human rights crisis at Rikers. Solitary confinement is torture, and Black and Brown New Yorkers bear the brunt of this inhumane practice. This administration must fulfill its obligations to follow the law, including complying with the requirement to close Rikers by August 31, 2027.”