The news about Mumia Abu Jamal, a 66-year-old African-American journalist, has been alarming since he contracted Covid-19. His health is deteriorating sharply, and his release is necessary. ECPM has long supported Mumia and is mobilising for his life.
As the days go by, the news about Mumia’s condition becomes more and more alarming. The disease is devastating his body, both inside and out. The photos released by his doctor show physical deterioration. Mumia has constant rashes that cause severe lesions and gaping sores, making his skin look like cracked leather. There is not a square inch of his body that not covered with blood and open wounds. When he was hospitalised for four days last week, in addition to testing positive for Covid, doctors found that he was suffering from severe heart failure and oedema that required surgery to remove excess fluid from his lungs.
Given his situation, his American supporters call more than ever for international mobilisation because it is a matter of life or death. For his physician, Dr Ricardo Alvarez, “his release is the only treatment” that would prevent the worst from happening.
We cannot wait another day: we must immediately address the vital challenges that threaten him: acute heart failure, Covid-19 and respiratory difficulties, organic skin failure.
Especially since he is no longer in hospital but in the prison infirmary, and he is suffering terribly. He is kept in solitary confinement without any care and medication he used to receive to ease his pain.
He also no longer has access to his phone and tablet, which allowed him to send messages and receive news from his family and friends.
Time is running out; let’s mobilize for Mumia!
1 . Copy and paste the email below written by Collectif Libérons Mumia
NAME / SURNAME / CITY / FRANCE
We are extremely worried about Mumia Abu Jamal’s state of health. He has tested positive for Covid-19 and has been diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Taking into consideration his medical history (hepatitis C) he is especially vulnerable. If he remains incarcerated his chances of survival are extremely low. Because of this we request his immediate hospitalisation so that he may receive whatever treatment is necessary in the care of independent professionals. We would also request his release from prison as soon as his health allows him to re-join his family. To avoid massive contamination through the Covid pandemic we would also request that all sick, elderly inmates should be freed.
2. Send it:
- to Governor Tom Wolf: brunelle.michael@gmail.com
- to District Attorney Larry Krasner: justice@phila.gov
- to Secretary of State John Wetzel: jowetzel@state.pa.us