The Uhuru 3 Chairman and Co-defenders, Omali Yeshitela, and Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel are calling on all defenders of justice and freedom to take immediate action by submitting letters calling for fairness and the most lenient sentence by October 15, 2024.
On September 12, 2024, The Uhuru 3 were exonerated of the major charge of being Russian foreign agents, which carried a 10-year sentence. However they were convicted of the lesser charge of conspiring to be foreign agents which carries up to a 5-year sentence.
The Uhuru 3 lawyers denounce the conviction and plan to appeal it.
The Uhuru 3 are scheduled for sentencing on November 25th in Tampa’s Middle District Court. The Hands Off Uhuru-Write for Justice Campaign is calling on people from all over the world to write character letters to the judge by October 15th, urging leniency and emphasising the importance of their positive impact in the world.
This is a critical opportunity to impact the court’s decision by highlighting personal stories, why you believe they are good people and should be able to continue to do their work freely in the community, or examples of charitable community involvement.
What you can do now:
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Write a letter to the judge, outlining your support for the Uhuru 3 and calling for leniency in their sentencing. Guidelines and sample letters can be found at handsoffuhuru.org/letters
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Submit your letters by October 15, 2024
This campaign is an essential step in ensuring that the court understands the widespread support for the Uhuru 3 and recognises the need for leniency in light of their lifetime of advocacy.
About the Uhuru 3:
In its April 2023 indictment of Chairman Omali and co-defendants Penny Hess and Jesse Nevel – two leaders of the Uhuru movement’s white solidarity and reparations wing – government prosecutors cite the Uhuru 3’s call for reparations, accusation of U.S. genocide against Black people and opposition to U.S. wars as evidence of foreign Russian control. Yeshitela calls this a “racist denial of Black people’s agency. We can think for ourselves and define our own agenda!”