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Abolition Now!

Writings and investigations from our siblings behind bars.

Citing withheld evidence, supporters of Mumia Abu-Jamal call for civil rights investigation

In April, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to consider an appeal from death-row journalist and former Black Panther Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of first-degree murder in the shooting death of white Philadelphia Police Officer Daniel Faulkner in a 1982 trial deemed unfair by Amnesty International, the European Parliament, the Japanese Diet, Nelson Mandela and numerous others. Now Abu-Jamal's international support network is calling for a federal civil rights investigation into his case.

Free South Carolina Movement statement on the first anniversary of the state-orchestrated fratricide at...

We are gathered here on this day to commemorate the fallen comrades that made their transition in the Lee County Massacre exactly one year ago. If it weren’t for the innovative resources of prisoners, this travesty would have been downplayed by the South Carolina Department of Corrections (SCDC), or worse: It could have been swept under the rug.

South Carolina freedom fighters call for National Prisoners Strike Aug. 21-Sept. 9, 2018

Men and women incarcerated in prisons across the nation declare a nationwide strike in response to the riot in Lee Correctional Institution. Seven comrades lost their lives during a senseless uprising that could have been avoided had the prison not been so overcrowded from the greed wrought by mass incarceration and a lack of respect for human life that is embedded in our nation’s penal ideology. These men and women are demanding humane living conditions, access to rehabilitation, sentencing reform and the end of modern day slavery.

Support Comrade Malik: Prisoner rights activist left in solitary far too long

Supporters of Keith “Malik” Washington ... are urged to sign and send this letter to: Ombudsman Office, P.O. Box 99, Huntsville, TX 77342-0099, 936-437-4927, fax 936-437-4930, ombudsman@tdcj.texas.gov and as many other intended recipients as possible. Send encouragement to Malik as well.

California prison hunger strikers propose ‘10 core demands’ for the national Occupy Wall Street...

The key factor thus far in failing to harness the mass support of the people is the lack of broad-based, articulable demands around which the uncommitted people who may support our message but not our movement can be educated, organized and mobilized to join the movement and transform not only the nature and structure of U.S. society, but the WORLD.

Michigan prisoners speak out against ‘epic’ abuse and retaliation

On Sept. 9, 2016, prisoners participated in the largest prisoner work stoppage in the history of the country. Prisoners in at least four facilities in Michigan joined in the work stoppage, including Kinross Correctional Facility. The next morning, after retaliatory actions from staff, Kinross prisoners held a peaceful demonstration in the yard. Since then, hundreds have faced harsh, unjust retaliation. Harold “HH” Gonzales was a spokesperson for the prisoners at the demonstration at Kinross and wrote this account.

Rationalizing the irrational: CDCr’s reactionary defense of its prison industrial slave complex

by Heshima Denham of The Amend the 13th Working Group Greetings, sisters and brothers. The general security policy of CDCr states: “The primary objectives of the Correctional institutions are to protect the public by safely keeping persons...

New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter’s 10th Anniversary

Ten years ago, in 2005, two revolutionized comrades, Shaka Zulu, now the chairman, and Kevin Rashid Johnson, now minister of defense, came up with the concept to create the New Afrikan Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter in reflection of the Black Panther Party-Prison Chapter that was originally created in 1971 by Comrades W.L. Nolen and George Jackson to fight against injustice and abuse as well as in-prison criminalization of prisoners who resisted being victims.

May Day Initative to Free Jalil Muntaqim

On May 1, 2019, May Day, we are requesting that for all of May, friends and supporters call, tweet, email and text Gov. Cuomo’s office and appeal to him to grant Jalil’s Application to Commute the Sentence to Time Served. We also request that this initiative be widely posted on social media platforms, encouraging freedom-loving people around the world to join in our May Day Initiative.

Jalil Muntaqim tests positive for COVID-19 and is hospitalized in New York

Jalil Muntaqim, world renowned for peace and justice initiatives over 49 years in prison, fights for his life, his parole-eligible sentence threatening to become a death sentence. On April 27, Judge Schick granted his release. But New York Attorney General Letitia James appealed the judge’s decision, preventing Jalil’s release.

Karima Al-Amin speaks on the health of her husband, Imam Jamil Al-Amin

Mrs. Karima Al-Amin speaks on the attempt to execute her husband and legal client Imam Jamil Al-Amin through medical neglect while he is a political prisoner. He has a series of conditions that have not been treated adequately while he is unjustly imprisoned. Imam Jamil was formerly known as the revolutionary H. Rap Brown. His contributions to Black history are priceless. And his family and congregation need him back home in Georgia. Free Imam Jamil! Free ‘em all!

Shaka Shakur, traded for Rashid, exposes ‘domestic exile,’ new strategy in prison low intensity...

by Shaka Shakur Hidden from public view and without any real political or judicial oversight, the Prison Industrial Complex has been forcing revolutionary political prisoners, prison rebels, jailhouse lawyers or litigators and so forth into domestic exile. Historically,...

Death Row prisoner Steve Champion, Tookie’s friend, on hunger strike since Oct. 4

Word has just reached us that Steve Champion, a prisoner on San Quentin’s death row well known as an inspirational advocate for justice and as one of the trio with Stanley Tookie Williams and Anthony Ross, began a hunger strike last Thursday, Oct. 4. His demands – still unmet – are listed in “The struggle never stops,” published in the July Bay View and reprinted here, and he asks that all who believe in justice flood the San Quentin warden and Corrections Department (CDCR) spokespersons with calls and emails.

From bad to worse

On Jan. 20, I was transferred from Virginia’s Red Onion to Wallens Ridge State Prison. This transfer came on the heels of a Dec. 12 incident where a large portion of my hair was ripped out by a Red Onion guard. I’m now being faced with a series of threats by a staff known to abuse and even kill prisoners.

Coronavirus: The invisible enemy behind enemy lines

There are 2.3 million people incarcerated in America. I am one of them.

34 years too long: The case of Political Prisoner Dr. Mutulu Shakur

Dr. Mutulu Shakur is a legendary figure in the current-day Black Power/New Afrikan freedom struggle in the U.S. He has been a political prisoner, behind enemy lines, for over three decades. The Hip Hop community will know him most for being the father of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, as well as being the spiritual and political mentor to Mutulu Olugbala aka M1 of legendary revolutionary rap group dead prez.

Rigged disciplinary hearing process at Texas’ Ellis Unit

In this article, Jason Walker discusses the latest in a long series of attempts to punish him by framing him with false charges. He asks that people contact Ellis Unit warden Kelly Strong to please investigate Mr. Walker’s grievances thoroughly and to ensure that these cases are conducted in a proper fashion, with no further violation of his due process rights. Phone zap, email, expose the misconduct of disciplinary counsel substitute A. McMillian and the Ellis Unit’s lack of due process protection.

Indiana prisons engage in suicidal malpractice

In his first dispatch since his transfer in November, Rashid reports that the Indiana Department of “Corruption” (IDOC) and its private corporate medical and mental health contractor, Wexford of Indiana, use prisoners to supervise, monitor, report and assess other prisoners who are actively suicidal – and many times also mentally ill.

COVID-19 cover-up: Exposed prison guard may have contaminated over 140 prisoners

The Clements Unit, a large Texas prison, is knowingly allowing guards infected with the coronavirus to work at the prison. In its early stages of infesting the prison, the coronavirus had gone undocumented in the month of March 2020, despite sick prisoners and rampant signs of the virus everywhere.

George Jackson: Forty years ago they shot him down

The 21st of August marks the 40th anniversary of the execution of George Lester Jackson. Many of the strategies and tactics that he and his fellow comrades employed in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s were used by prisoners at Pelican Bay, Corcoran and other California prisons in the recent hunger strikes.