Tampa, FL – On September 10, the sixth day of the trial of the Uhuru 3, members of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) and Uhuru Solidarity Movement charged with “acting as agents of a foreign government,” both the prosecution and defense finished presenting their arguments. The courtroom was packed full of supporters of the defendants.

The defense entered their evidence into the court without calling up any witnesses to the stand. Their evidence consisted of statements and articles from APSP’s publications showing the party’s long history of expressing solidarity with people’s movements across the globe. The defense argued that the defendants “are not for sale” and do not act on their sincerely held political beliefs at the direction of anyone.

The prosecution argued that the defendants were in a conspiracy with agents of the FSB, the Russian Federal Security Service, and that the First Amendment doesn’t apply because Russian nationals are not protected by the Constitution of the United States. They also argued that even if the defendants didn’t know they were allegedly acting as agents of a foreign government, they are not absolved of guilt.

The defense argued that the protests and statements that were entered as evidence against the defendants are protected speech under the First Amendment. The defense suggested that the Uhuru 3 were being targeted for their political beliefs and that a guilty verdict would set a dangerous precedent. The defense also argued that, since the prosecution only called FBI agents as witnesses, the government’s case against the Uhuru 3 is based upon cherry-picked, flimsy evidence.

The jury will begin deliberating tomorrow.

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