political prisoners

While building solidarity between activists in the U.S. and Iran can be a powerful way of supporting social justice movements in Iran, progressives and leftists who want to express solidarity with Iranians are challenged by a complicated geopolitical terrain. The U.S. government shrilly decries Iran’s nuclear power program and expands a long-standing sanctions regime on the one hand, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad makes inflammatory proclamations and harshly suppresses Iranian protesters and dissidents on the other. Solidarity activists are often caught between a rock and a hard place, and many choose what they believe are the “lesser evil” politics. In the case of Iran, this has meant aligning with a repressive state leader under the guise of “anti-imperialism” and “populism,” or supporting “targeted” sanctions.

  Members of Jericho & ICFFMAJ are joining with other activists and organizations to create an event connecting the struggles for War Resisters and Political Prisoners. We are currently sending out the following letter to many organizations and individuals. Be a part of this effort! Use this international energy of resistance-- from Egypt to Wisconsin-- to continue building and connecting our common cause of LIBERATION!

Maroon needs your help now to get into general population! 

WHAT DOES MUMIA FACE LEGALLY AFTER THE NOVEMBER 9, 2010 HEARING BEFORE THE THIRD CIRCUIT?

The only legal options that were considered by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, a federal court immediately below the US Supreme Court, at the November 9 hearing were whether Mumia Abu-Jamal is to be executed or get life in prison without parole. The question of Mumia's guilt or innocence and the opportunity of a new trial was not part of this hearing. The Third Circuit decided that issue in March 2008 in a decision made by the same three judges who conducted this hearing.

The National Boricua Human Rights Network (NBHRN) - Philadelphia chapter is in crucial need of your support for the release of Puerto Rican political prisoner, Oscar Lopez Rivera. Mr. Lopez will go before the Parole Committee of the Federal Bureau of Prisons this coming January 2011. We are building support and momentum for this hearing through a national petition campaign.

In July, a judge changed Lynne Stewart's prison sentence from 28 months to 10 years, effectively giving the 70 year old lawyer who suffers from health issues a death sentence.

In 2005, Stewart was convicted of providing support to a terrorist organization. While defending a known terrorist, she released a statement from her client to the press. In doing so, she violated an agreement with the US government to not pass information between her client and the outside world. Many lawyers view Stewart's conviction as a government attack on defense lawyers that severely restricts their ability to properly represent their clients.

Greetings from California, Comrades!

As many have heard, a relentless anti-police movement has grown from the tragedy of Oscar Grant's murder on January 1, 2009 by former officer Johannes Mehserle.* Recently, Mehserle was convicted of the deplorable charge of involuntary manslaughter, a weak charge which carries a sentence of probation to four years in prison.?

On July 26th, Carlos Alberto Torres was released from federal prison in Illinois after serving 30 years for his participation in the Puerto Rican independence movement.  Charged with “seditious conspiracy” for his participation in the Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional (FALN), a clandestine independence organization that began in 1974, Carlos has dedicated his life to the liberation of Puerto Rico from the colonial rule of the United States. That dedication, from his days as a community organizer in Chicago’s Puerto Rican community to his time underground and his three decades in prison, made him a symbol of Puerto Rican pride and heroism, both on the island and in the United States.

Scott also refused to testify and was taken to jail, but two days after Scott’s detention he was charged with conspiracy under the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA). If convicted, he faces 3-5 years in prison. He was released on November 30th pending trial (set to begin on September 13th, 2010). AETA was signed into law in late 2006 after being pushed through Congress by influential biomedical and agri-business industry groups.

This year marks 25 Years since the bombing of our Family!  At 9:00am MOVE is delivering MURDER charges to The Courts on May 12th, Charging officials with the Vicious Murder of 11 Innocent MOVE family members!  There will be a 10:00 am press conference at The AFSC, located at 15th & Cherry Sts., about the Murder Complaints.