A Black August Call to Action From Cindy Miller, International Mobilization4Mumia and CODEPINK Greater Philadelphia

Political Prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal

By CODEPINK Greater Philadelphia

The US, in its self-appointed role as policeman, judge and jury of the world, has kidnapped or assassinated:

  • Jean-Bertrand Aristide-Haiti
  • Queen Liliʻuokalani-Hawaii
  • Nicholas Maduro and Cilia Flores-Venezuela
  • Patrice Lumumba-Congo
  • Thomas Sankara-Burkina Faso
  • Salvadore Allende-Chile

In the case of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei of Iran, the US lapdog-zionist entity “Israel” bombed his compound and murdered him. Most of these incidents are hardly publicized - they are covered over and justified with manufactured excuses.

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The US (and other right-wing regimes) not only assassinate or depose leaders of opposing countries, but they also target a single person, usually an outspoken dissident who exposes the truth about the status quo.

We see the case of Imran Khan in Pakistan-an outspoken critic of that government who was jailed on politically motivated corruption charges- and its parallel to the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a political prisoner held here in Pennsylvania. Abu-Jamal, a former member of the Black Panthers and an acclaimed journalist and author, has been imprisoned for 44 years, despite widespread recognition of misconduct by the justice system during his trial, and his unwavering declaration of innocence.

Both Khan and Abu-Jamal suffer debilitating eye issues that their prisons refuse to treat. The Supreme Court of Pakistan finally ordered the transfer of Khan to a private hospital, and within 4 hours the Pakistani government filed a challenge to block that move. Meanwhile, Abu-Jamal is still in need of appropriate medical care.

It was protests, marches, demos and legal actions of his supporters that got Abu-Jamal released into the jail’s general population after 29 years of solitary confinement on Death Row, but his opponents have vowed to keep him locked up until he dies in prison. This sentence is also known as Death by Incarceration.

In Abu-Jamal’s case, the process is accelerated by deliberate medical neglect. In 2019, the Pennsylvania Department of Prisons had to be sued and forced to provide him with medication for Hepatitis C. That treatment was successful, but the absurd delay caused him to contract Cirrhosis of the liver.

In July of this year, Abu-Jamal submitted a petition to the United Nations working group on arbitrary detention, within the Human Rights Council, to consider his case of unjust imprisonment. Read more about him and how to demand appropriate medical care now, how to support his case submitted to the UN, and how to get involved in these fights for prisoner justice at:

As most CODEPINK followers are aware, thousands of Palestinians also remain behind bars without charge, as political prisoners suffering in incomprehensible conditions, such as the situation of Dr. Abu Safiya.

Learn more and take action!

For all political prisoners,

Freedom is the only real treatment,

When we fight, we win!

RESIST!! ORGANIZE!!

CODEPINK Greater Philadelphia is one of many nationwide CODEPINK chapters. You can follow them on Instagram: codepinkphilly

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