24-hour lock down for Imam Jamil al-Amin: Kept Shackled even in Wash Room
Warden trying to get him to sign papers saying he is "being treated well"
His Islamic books destroyed: 100 plus letters Confiscated
 
"Shall I inform you (o people), on whom it is that the satans descend? They 
descend on every lying, wicked person..." (26:221-222)
 
 
        Imam Jamil Abdullah al-Amin is an Islamic leader of international 
renown, with support from Black and Islamic communities in cities across 
America. He has spent his life in activism against racism and oppression 
perpetrated by the American power structure. Many a time, the U.S. government 
has tried to ‘get him, ' under some pretext or the other. They could never 
prove anything against him. Finally they tried him for the murder of a police 
officer and convicted him on murky "evidence." The verdict was rushed through 
and the issues creating doubt about the prosecution's case were never 
resolved. [A person should not be convicted under law if the case is not 
proven beyond a reasonable doubt.] He was sentenced to life in prison.
     Now IN PRISON, the government is trying to crush him and to destroy his 
personality and his resistance as a human being. Here is the latest situation 
[with thanks to Imam Khalil Abdul-Rahman of Greensboro, North Carolina]:
 
1. Since March 2002, Imam Jamil al-Amin has been under 23-hour lock down. The 
purpose seems to have been to cut him off from other inmates to stop the 
spread of Islam.
2. After conviction, for more than seven weeks, he was placed under 24-hour 
lock down, which means that the one hour he used to get to walk around in the 
yard was taken away. 
3. For all this time, this information could not get out because the Imam was 
denied the use of the phone.
4. Even in lock down he is BEING KEPT SHACKLED, so much so that he has to go 
to the wash room in shackles.
5. The Imam's Islamic book collection, a little "library" of books gifted to 
him by his admirers in many cities, has been CONFISCATED and DESTROYED.
6. Even the Imam's mail, more than a hundred letters, has been taken away 
from him and confiscated.
7. THE WARDEN IS TRYING TO MAKE THE IMAM SIGN PAPERS SAYING THAT HE IS BEING 
TREATED WELL IN PRISON.
8. On being asked about the 24-hour lock down, the Warden is reported to have 
said that Imam Jamil is a "threat to the institution" he is being kept in.
-----------------------------------------------------
IMMEDIATE ACTIONS NEEDED: CALL THE WARDEN at: 912-557-7301
1. Readers within the United States are urged to call the warden and demand 
(politely) that the Imam be treated in accordance with the rights given to 
prisoners. These rights include:
i. Availability of religious material.
ii. Right to receive mail.
iii. Right to pray and to receive facilities for prayer individually and with 
others of the same faith within the prison.
iv. No shackling permitted in the case of a prisoner who is not disorderly or 
physically dangerous.
v. End to both 23-hour and 24-hour lock down when a prisoner is neither 
disorderly nor physically dangerous.
[When you call, someone other than the Warden will pick up. If there are 
difficulties in reaching the warden, leave a clear message for the warden 
with the person who picks up the phone.]
------------------------------------------
READERS OVERSEAS are urged to write to the Warden, with a copy to us, calling 
for the RELEASE of IMAM JAMIL AL-AMIN. He is a political prisoner. He did not 
kill anyone and has been sentenced because of his life-long activism as a 
Black dissident and then his lack of flag waving and bootlicking as a an IMAM 
of NATIONAL and INTERNATIONAL stature.
 
Write to: The Warden, Georgia State Prison, 100 Georgia Hwy 147, Reidsville, 
GA 30499-9701
 
The copy you will send us will be sent to human rights organizations, media 
and Islamic communities in America. [USE OUR ADDRESS AT THE TOP OF THIS PRESS 
RELEASE.]
-----------------------------------------------------------
PICKETS ARE NEEDED:
1.A few volunteers are needed to picket in the town of Reidsville, which is 
between Atlanta and Savannah, calling for humane treatment of the Imam.
2. Volunteers are also needed (and this is much easier) to picket CNN in 
Atlanta, bringing attention to the mistreatment of the Imam.
[Use this email address for your response: ksidd37398@aol.com.]