Tampa, FL – On December 16, around 100 supporters from across the country rallied at the Sam M. Gibbons Federal Courthouse in Tampa, Florida for the sentencing hearing of the Uhuru 3: Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel. In September, the Uhuru 3 were found not guilty of acting as unregistered agents of the Russian government but were unfairly convicted of “conspiracy” to act as unregistered agents of the Russian government.

Prosecutors were pushing for five years of prison time and $250,000 fines for the Uhuru 3. Instead, U.S. District Judge William Jung sentenced them to 36 months of probation, 300 hours of community service, no jail time and no fines. As soon as the judge left the courtroom, the packed courthouse broke into applause and continued their celebration outside with chants of “Not one day, not one dime!”

“When they indicted us, they expected us to fold. They expected us to run or to take a plea, which is mainly how they achieve their 99% conviction rate in federal criminal cases,” said Jainabah Lumumba, the southern regional representative of the African People’s Socialist Party and granddaughter of Yeshitela. “We didn’t fold, we didn’t run, we didn’t hide, we didn’t take a plea to confess to something we didn’t do.”

Inside the courthouse, Judge Jung stated that the Uhuru 3’s statements had been protected speech. “If you listen to what the judge had to say, he said what our lawyers have been saying all along,” said Yeshitela. “Our lawyers have said that we shouldn’t be here. Our lawyers have said that even if this thing goes to trial, it’s an assault, a major assault on the First Amendment.”

After the verdict, a summation and rally were held at the Uhuru House in Saint Petersburg where Attorney Angela Reaney indicated that the Uhuru 3’s legal team will be submitting an appeal of the conspiracy conviction.

#TampaFL #Uhuru3 #PoliticalRepression

Tampa, FL – El jueves 10 de octubre, el abogado Leonard Goodman presentó una moción posterior al juicio en nombre de los Uhuru 3 – Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess y Jesse Nevel – pidiendo al juez William Jung una “sentencia absolutoria por el cargo de conspiración” o un nuevo juicio por ese cargo.

En el veredicto contradictorio de septiembre, los Uhuru 3 fueron declarados no culpables de actuar como agentes no registrados del gobierno ruso, pero fueron condenados injustamente por “conspiración” para actuar como agentes no registrados del gobierno ruso.

Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess y Jesse Nevel declararon victoria al derrotar la acusación del gobierno de que su trabajo de luchar por reparaciones, justicia y paz para la comunidad negra se llevaba a cabo bajo la dirección y control de un gobierno extranjero. “Nosotros trabajamos para la gente negra, no para Rusia”, dijo Yeshitela.

#TampaFL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3

Tampa, FL – On Thursday, October 10, Attorney Leonard Goodman filed a post-trial motion on behalf of the Uhuru 3 – Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel – asking Judge William Jung for a “judgment of acquittal on the conspiracy charge” or a new trial on that charge.

In September’s contradictory verdict, the Uhuru 3 were found not guilty of acting as unregistered agents of the Russian government but were unjustly convicted of “conspiracy” to act as unregistered agents of the Russian government.

Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel declared victory in defeating the government’s claim that their lifelong advocacy for Black reparations, justice and peace was conducted under the direction and control of a foreign government. “We work for Black people, not Russia” said Yeshitela.

#TampaFL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3

On September 12, 2024, three leaders of the African Peoples' Socialist Party (APSP) and the Uhuru Movement were convicted on the charge of conspiring to act “as agents of the Russian government within the United States without prior notification.” The charge carries up to five years in prison. The jury found them not guilty of the charge of already acting as unregistered foreign agents.

The three Uhuru leaders convicted are Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel. Augustus Romain Jr, a former leader of APSP, was also charged and convicted. We, the Freedom Road Socialist Organization, condemn this verdict wholeheartedly and view it as a grave injustice and an attack on our social movements.

During the course of the Tampa, Florida trial, the prosecution has offered up, as examples of so-called conspiracy, their organization's statements condemning the U.S.-Russia war in Ukraine, a United Nations petition denouncing genocide on Africans, international trips, and protests. It is clear to us that the African Peoples' Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement were targeted for their political views.

The entire proceedings – from the FBI raids to the convictions – are an attack on our First Amendment rights to criticize the projects of U.S. imperialism, the U.S. wars, coups, interventions, and the U.S.-backed Israeli genocide taking place right now in Gaza. The case aims to set a legal precedent for criminalizing free speech, and any acts of international solidarity or communication with activists in other countries could henceforth bring anti-war organizations under fire.

The APSP and the Uhuru Movement are organizations led by Black socialists, and they were convicted by a jury that had no Black people on it. At one point, the judge had to choose an alternate due to one juror's absence; the defense argued for a Black replacement juror, and the judge denied their request.

This attack on the African Peoples' Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement is an attack on us all. The Freedom Road Socialist Organization will join in any efforts to get justice. It should not be a crime to show solidarity with oppressed peoples around the world, nor to criticize the U.S. government's drumbeat of war. This trial was not the first witch hunt directed against the anti-war movement, nor will it be the last. We will fight for the defense of our social movements.

Justice for Uhuru 3!

Overturn the Conviction!

Solidarity Is Not a Crime!

#InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3 #APSP

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.

#TampaFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3 #APSP

The proceedings continued today with the interviewing and cross examination of an FBI agent witness. The prosecution is expected to present its final witness early tomorrow, after which the defense will begin its presentation. The trial is expected to begin to wrap up by the end of the week.

The Uhuru 3 are members of the African People’s Socialist Party and Uhuru Solidarity Movement who are charged with conspiracy to act as unregistered agents of the Russian government. The defense maintains that their activities constitute free political speech and that they are being targeted for their criticism of U.S. President Joe Biden and his administration's substantial military support for Ukraine and aggression against Russia.

#TampaFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3 #APSP

The prosecution first called Professor Brian Taylor, a professor of political science, to the stand as a witness. Taylor’s role in the trial was to provide background information on the Russian intelligence agency, the Federal Security Service (FSB). When other witnesses were questioned, it was revealed that there was no proof of any of the defendants or the Russian nationals being agents of the FSB.

The prosecution then called three FBI agents as witnesses. An FBI agent in charge of compiling the data seized from the raids revealed that the FBI seized 20 terabytes of data and, when asked, stated that it would take a lifetime to read that information.

An FBI agent who reviewed the data seized from the raids discussed the APSP’s involvement with the Anti-Globalist Movement (AGM) of Russia from 2015 to 2016. One of the main events examined was APSP Chairman Omali Yeshitela’s traveling to Moscow to speak at a conference hosted by the AGM. Also discussed was the Uhuru Movement’s involvement in writing a petition against the United States’ crimes against African Americans and organizing events for the petition during UN hearings. Omali Yeshitela’s attorney, Ade Griffin, argued that each of these actions falls under protected speech. The FBI agent agreed with Griffin when asked.

The final witness was a language analyst for the FBI who translated the Russian documents, chats, audio files, and text on images that were used in the investigation. After explaining how she translated these items, the defense had no cross-examination and she and the jury were free to leave the courtroom.

After the jurors left, Judge William Jung cited the case U.S. v. Duran (2005) to suggest that there is precedent that a defendant does not need to knowingly commit a crime, particularly regarding the charge of conspiring with a foreign government, to be charged. However, both Judge Jung and Attorney Mutaqee Akbar noted the language used in the statute for the crime of conspiracy. According to the statute, conspiracy is committed when two or more persons intentionally come together to commit an offense against or defraud the United States.

The trial of the Uhuru 3 is expected to continue for another three weeks.

#TampaFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3 #APSP #Feature

“We will beat these charges and we will put be the ones to put the state on trial,” said Mwezi Odom of the Hands Off Uhuru Defense Campaign.

At 9 a.m., protesters headed into an overflow room of the federal courthouse to witness the start of jury selection. The main court room was packed with 80 jury candidates hailing from six counties all around the Tampa Bay area. Not even spouses or family could join the defendants in the main courtroom while this process took place.

The trial is estimated by the judge, defense and prosecution to take around three weeks.

#TampaFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3

St. Petersburg, FL – “We’re going to beat you in the court, and then when we do that we’re going to beat you in the streets,” said former NYC Councilman Charles Barron. He was talking about the fight for justice for the Uhuru 3, addressing a crowd of 125 community members and activists. The crowd gathered outside the Uhuru House in Saint Petersburg, Florida on August 31 to rally around the Uhuru 3, three Uhuru Movement leaders facing 15 years in prison for their international solidarity work.

On July 29, 2022, the FBI carried out violent, military-style raids on Uhuru Movement leader Chairman Omali Yeshitela’s home in Saint Louis, Missouri, and several other homes and offices. A year later, a federal grand jury in Tampa, Florida indicted three Uhuru members on bogus claims of acting as agents of the Russian government. The Uhuru 3 includes Omali Yeshitela, chairman and founder of the African Peoples Socialist Party (APSP) and the Uhuru Movement; Penny Hess, chairperson of the African People’s Solidarity Committee; and Jesse Nevel, chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement.

These charges are not coming down for any wrongdoing, but because of the Uhuru 3’s political positions. “We understand that these charges are a part of a long and brutal history of political repression waged by the U.S. government against the people’s movements. Those who have fought for a better world, for the masses and oppressed people, have been made and seen as enemies of the U.S. government,” said Joesph Nohava of the Tampa Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (TAARPR).

“The Uhuru 3 are not guilty of these charges, there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever of the nonsense that they have accused the chairman and the Uhuru 3 of carrying out. If it was about the law, we would have gotten an acquittal yesterday. If it was about the evidence, we would have gotten an acquittal yesterday. It has nothing to do with the law. They’re using the law as an instrument to make a political attack,” said Jesse Nevel, one of the Uhuru 3.

The rally included speakers from several different organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Julian Assange Defense Committee, Committee to Stop FBI Repression, Union Del Bario, Students for a Democratic Society, and more.

Those in attendance recognized that the case of the Uhuru represents a larger attack on the First Amendment right to free speech within social movements. “This is coming down not just on their organization or our organization. If they can put the African People’s Socialist Party in, they can put you in prison, they will not stop,” said Joe Iosbaker, one of the Anti-War 23 – anti-war and international solidarity activists who were subpoenaed or raided by the FBI in 2010.

Speaking to the variety of progressive organizations showing solidarity with the Uhuru 3, Chairman Omali Yeshitela said, “I know there’s all kinds of differences in terms of political and tactical and things like that. But I’m saying there’s enough room in here because the greater divide is not between us. It’s between us and them. That’s the great divide that we have to take on.”

On Tuesday, September 3, the Uhuru 3 will face trial at the Sam Gibbons Federal Courthouse in Tampa, Florida. Progressive people from all across the country will be traveling to pack the courthouse to defend the Uhuru 3 and our right to free speech.

#StPetersburgFL #FL #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3 #APSP

Los Angeles, CA – In a packed room of Black and Chicano activists, high school students, and other supporters, a May 23 forum was held in support of the Hands Off the Uhuru 3 movement. The Uhuru movement is led by the African People's Socialist Party, which is facing political attacks by the FBI.

On July 29, 2022, the FBI carried out a violent military style pre-dawn raid on Uhuru Movement leader Omali Yeshitela’s home in North St. Louis, Missouri. They also raided several other homes and offices.

In April of 2023, the U.S. government indicted Chairman Omali Yeshitela, African People's Solidarity Committee Chairperson Penny Hess, and Uhuru Solidarity Movement Chair Jesse Nevel on false, slanderous charges that they were working for Russia.

The Los Angeles event was emceed by Ron Gochez, political secretary of Union del Barrio (UdB). He welcomed Desiree P. Gaytan of UdB, who gave a brief history of Black political struggle in South Central Los Angeles, including the Watts Rebellion and the LAPD attack on the Black Panther Party.

Several solidarity statements were given including African Town Coalition, Ron Wilkins, the Lumumba Coalition, Black Alliance for Peace, and the Socialist Unity Party.

A statement from the Freedom Road Socialist Organization’s Central Committee was read by Carlos Montes, “Freedom Road Socialist Organization is committed to pushing back against this repression and we stand in solidarity with those under attack. We know from experience how important resistance to repression is.”

Montes also stressed the long history of unity with the Chicano and Black liberation movements.

The program included a video of the FBI raid of seven of the APSP homes and offices. The FBI used flash and smoke grenades and smashed open doors and detained Chairman Omali and his wife.

The keynote address was given by African People's Socialist Party Chairman Omali Yeshitela, who denounced the FBI raids and the bogus charges.

A call was made to attend the trial in Tampa, Florida on September 3. A spirited fundraising pitch raised more than $2000.

#LosAngelesCA #CA #InJusticeSystem #PoliticalRepression #Uhuru3 #UDB #APSP #BAP #SUP