February 19, 2000
SOLIDARITY: NEW AND FAIR TRIAL FOR MUMIA ABU JAMAL
SOCEPP associates itself and fully backs the demonstration planned for February 28, in front of the US Supreme Court, to call for a new and fair trial for Mumia Abu Jamal. Mumia Abu Jemal is in death row for the 1981 murder of a police officer but credible voices of protest have been heard in the USA and internationally concerning his trial and conviction. Mumia, a former minister of information of the Philadelphia chapter of the Black Panther Party (formed by Huey P. Newton and Bobby Seale) , did not get a fair trial, did not get the chance to present evidence in his defense and was, more or less, railroaded as a result of racist bias and denial of due process of law. Mumia, an able journalist, has not ceased to claim innocence and to call for a retrial. It is to be noted that the militant Black Panther party was hounded by the FBI and the police, and many of its leaders and members were killed or imprisoned. SOCEPP has in the past joined others to call for a stay of execution and a new trial. Now that Mumia's case is supposed to appear before a federal judge (March 2000), SOCEPP joins the family and friends of Mumia as well as human rights agencies to call for a new and fair trial for Mumia Abu Jemal. End the travesty of Justice and make sure Mumia Anu Jemal gets a fair trial.
