Uhuru 3 Sentenced on Bogus Charges

On December 16, a Tampa federal judge imposed a sentence of three years probation on three supporters of the African People’s Socialist Party and its Uhuru movement. Scores packed the courtroom, including Spartacist League and Partisan Defense Committee supporters. Stepping into the hall outside, the defendants—Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel—were greeted with chants of “Not one day!”, expressing defiance and relief that they did not get any prison time. Each was convicted on a bogus charge of “conspiring” with Russians to “sow discord” in the U.S., based solely on exercising their First Amendment rights to protest U.S. imperialist war and black oppression.

As a condition of probation, they are not permitted to communicate with Russians without permission. A fourth defendant, former Uhuru member Augustus Romain Jr. (Gazi Kodzo), was sentenced to five years probation on December 9. The racist witchhunt against Uhuru is a threat to us all. The probation sentence puts the defendants in a box, where they could still face jail time for a probation “violation.” They did nothing wrong and should have never been charged in the first place.

Appeals of the conviction will follow. Nodding to the packed courtroom, the judge said it would be pointless to fine the Uhuru 3 because they would just go raise the money to pay the fine. It does cost money to fight a federal witchhunt. The SL/U.S. and PDC have donated $2,500 to the Uhuru defense, and we encourage others to do the same at every.org/hands-off-uhuru.