“Freedom for Mumia, It’s the Only Treatment!”
“Freedom for Mumia, It’s the Only Treatment!” (Dr. Ricardo Alvarez, Mumia’s physician)
(Reprinted and translated from Tribune des Travailleurs (Workers Tribune) No. 281, March 17, 2021. Tribune des Travailleurs is the weekly newspaper of the Independent Democratic Workers Party of France, POID.)
“Now, right now, we need to free Mumia Abu-Jamal!” This is the cry of the U.S. coalitions fighting to save the life of Mumia Abu-Jamal, 66, who has just tested positive for COVID-19 in prison. Mumia suffers from congestive heart failure and hepatitis C. As his physician, Ricardo Alvarez, says: “Freedom is the only possible treatment!”
Statements demanding that Mumia be released immediately and hospitalized are being gathered worldwide.
“During the dark days of Apartheid,” reads a statement by the 300,000-member National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA), “the liberation movement was supported by progressive organizations putting pressure on the government to release political prisoners. It is our turn now to free Mumia Abu-Jamal.”
For their part, the International Federation of Journalists, the National Writers Union (U.S.) and the SNJ-CGT (France) have issued a call for “the immediate hospitalization of Mumia so that he can receive proper care by independent professionals, with his release as soon as he is able, so that he can rejoin his family.”
The Independent Democratic Workers Party of France (POID), as well as the International Workers Committee Against War and Exploitation, For the Workers International (IWC), have issued similar statements, addressed to Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf [see attached].
To obtain a copy of a “Model Letter” from the Free Mumia coalitions that has been published in the IWC Weekly Newsletter, please write to: owcmumbai2016@gmail.com.
[Also see appeal below.]
* * * * * * * * * *
URGENT APPEAL RELAYED BY THE IWC (excerpts)
Mumia’s COVID-19 Infection Has Been Confirmed by Prison Doctors After Initial Denial
• Free Mumia Immediately!
• Free All Political Prisoners!
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Mumia Abu-Jamal needs to be released from prison and sent to a hospital for proper medical attention.
But that is not all. Mumia needs to be released from prison altogether, based on his documented innocence and his medical condition, which in itself should be sufficient to warrant his release.
We urge you to contact Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, Secretary of Pennsylvania Prisons John Wetzel, and Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner with these three demands:
• Transfer Mumia to a hospital for proper medical care!
• Free Mumia immediately!
• Free all elders, vulnerable inmates, and political prisoners!
Here is the contact information:
PA DA Larry Krasner: 267-456-1000 (justice@phila.gov)
PA DOC Secretary John Wetzel: 717-728-2573 (jowetzel@state.pa.us)
PA Governor Tom Wolf: 717-787-2500 (Brunelle.michael@gmail.com)
Please send copies of your email messages — with your name, organization and country — to owcmumbai2016@gmail.com and SuzanneWRoss@aol.com.
In solidarity,
The Editorial Board of The Organizer Newspaper
Socialist Organizer 