Action Alert: Mumia Abu-Jamal has COVID

Mumia Abu-Jamal, like Imam Jamil Al-Amin, and many other of our beloved political prisoners, has been in ill health over an extended period, and his supporters have been calling for his release on humanitarian grounds for a long while. Now he has been diagnosed with COVID-19. This is an important opportunity for Muslims to show solidarity with the Black community.

--Nadrat Siddique

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From Political Prisoner News:

Mumia had COVID-19. He is medically vulnerable, and is experiencing shortness of breath and chest pains. We need everyone to call the Superintendent of Mumia's Prison and demand he be taken to the hospital for treatment for COVID-19. It is not okay that they merely test him (they had not as of Fri. night), the results will take days to come back and he is experiencing chest pains & breathing problems now--and COVID requires quick medical care to avoid death. 

Bernadette Mason, Superintendent
SCI Mahanoy
301 Morea Road
Frackville, PA 17932
(570) 773-2158

Muslim Leadership Silent as Dr. Aafia and Other Prisoners Bear the Brunt of Texas Winter Weather Emergency Without Heat and Running Water

By Nadrat Siddique

The recent unprecedented winter weather emergency in Texas was another prime opportunity for U.S.-based Muslim leadership to call for the release of political prisoner Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. As temperatures dipped into the teens and '20s, FMC Carswell, the prison where Dr. Aafia is being held, was without heat and running water for several days. Toilets were overflowing due to the lack of water, and the women prisoners put on multiple layers of clothing in an effort to stay warm.

You can read the full story on that horrific situation here.

As usual, Muslim organizations, busily genuflecting to Biden and his Hindu VP, dropped the ball, taking no action to press for Dr. Aafia's release from a freezing cold prison. While the immediate emergency appears over, it is a very sad commentary on our Muslim organizations and Muslim leadership that they did not raise a finger to help these women prisoners, including Aafia, and missed a huge opportunity to call for their release on humanitarian grounds. And so, we who believe in freedom must remain vigilant.

ACTION ALERT

What you can do to help Aafia now

1) Call or write to the prison

People of conscience, particularly those based in the U.S., should call or write the prison regularly to express concern about Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. This will keep the authorities on notice that people are vigilant and watching their actions, and that Aafia is not forgotten.

When writing, please be polite, courteous, and, if possible, specific (eg if a particular situation, eg the heat being out, has just occurred, mention that). Be sure to use the correct legal spelling of Aafia's name, and her register number. These are: Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, #90279-054

Send your letter to:

Michael Carr, Warden
FMC Carswell
PO Box 27066
Fort Worth, TX 76127

Or use this form.

2) Write to Dr. Aafia Siddiqui in prison
The worse thing for a political prisoner is the thought that they have been forgotten, or that no one knows where they are, or what is being done to them. A single letter from the outside can mitigate such feelings. Some prisoners mention reading and re-reading the letters they get many times over. Letters should not mention illegal or violent acts, and should be general expressions of concern.

Aafia Siddiqui, #90279-054
FMC Carswell
Federal Medical Center
PO Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127

More than likely, your letter will be returned to you. (That is what happened to a number of Maryland-based Aafia supporters who wrote to her.) When the prison returns the letter, they frequently also (perhaps as a taunt), let the prisoner know they did so.

If your letter to Aafia is returned, it is important to call the prison to ask them why.

Phone for FMC Carswell is: (817) 782-4000
Hours (The prison administration only appears to accept calls during these hours, U.S. Central Standard Time):
Sat: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Sun: 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM

Again, these are small ways of letting the authorities know the outside world is watching.

3) Send small amounts of money to Dr. Aafia's commissary

This will allow her to buy items not provided by the prison from the commissary (prison store). The prison system has very specific rules on how to send money to a prisoner:

• If you want to send her money by mail, it must be a money order (U.S. Postal money orders are best).

• You must write her full, legal name and register number on the money order itself.

• Then, address the envelope as follows:

Federal Bureau of Prisons
Aafia Siddiqui
#90279-054
Post Office Box 474701
Des Moines, Iowa 50947-0001

• Then, write your name and return address on the upper left-hand corner of the envelope.

• If you prefer to send Dr. Aafia money electronically, you can do so using Western Union or Moneygram. Again, the prison system has very specific rules for doing this. Check them here, and follow the directions as precisely as you can (to avoid rejection of payment):

4) Send Aafia a birthday card:

Aafia's birthday is March 2. She will spend it in a cold, filthy, COVID-ridden prison, while both U.S. and Pakistani lawmakers (including Pakistani PM Imran Khan, who came to power on campaign promises to free her) ignore the enormous injustice being done to her.

Send her a birthday card to let her know she is not forgotten. (A very simple card, with no frills or decorations, or a postcard with your handwritten birthday message is best.)

Send the card to:

Aafia Siddiqui, #90279-054
FMC Carswell
Federal Medical Center
PO Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127

5) Educate yourself about the case, and join any local actions, protests, etc calling for justice for Aafia. For regular updates on Dr. Aafia's case, follow her sister on Twitter: @FowziaSiddiqui

#FreeAafiaSiddiqui #FMCCarswell #TexasWinter

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Nadrat Siddique is a DC-based writer and political prisoner advocate, who believes that "None of us are free, if one of us is chained."

Standing Rock Solidarity Run

I ran the 10.6 miles of the BWI Trail on February 9. It's a trail I regularly run, but this run was special. This year marks the 5-year anniversary of the heroic stance taken by the Standing Rock Sioux and their allies to stop desecration of Indian land by Big Oil, in particular the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL).
Despite having ZERO legal standing, DAPL continues to operate with impunity.

So, the Standing Rock Youth Council initiated a 93-mile relay to call attention to the illegalities being carried out by the oil company. Their statement on the action is here.

My run was part of a national action held across the country. Runners in cities across the U.S. independently ran or walked anywhere from 1/4 mile to 8, 10, or 12 miles  in solidarity with the Standing Rock Youth Council action. The indigenous youth initiating the action ran in sub-zero temperatures in North Dakota that day. Among these brave, bold indigenous runners were those who had initiated the fight against the pipeline in 2016.

I wanted them to know they had (at least some) Pakistani/Muslim support.

You can see a clip from my run here.