Partial Victory For Uhuru (original) (raw)

The proposed political frame up of leaders and supporters of the African Peoples Socialist Party, perhaps best known as the Uhuru Movement in St. Petersburg, Florida, has ended with a federal jury rejecting the government’s biggest charge. Several members and supporters were charged as operators in support of a foreign government, that government being Russia. With the jury’s rejection of that main charge, the government’s threat of over ten year in prison also faded away. Party leader chairman Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess, and Jesse Nevel argued that their political opinions were protected speech under the First Amendment to the Constitution covering freedom of speech. Former APFP member, Augustus Romain, Jr. also faced charges. The Uhuru defendants were convicted of conspiracy, but one wonders, conspiring to do what? If they weren’t agents of a foreign power as the jury so found, of what could they have conspired? To oppose the U.S. Empire’s wars abroad? Hardly a crime.

For now, Uhuru won a significant, if partial, victory for freedom of speech and the alleged right of freedom of association. If the Constitution really meant anything, the three would never have been charged in the first place. So we say Free the Uhuru 3! because Uhuru just means freedom.

With love, not fear, this is Mumia Abu-Jamal.
These commentaries are recorded by Prison Radio.