Datum: Sonntag, 1. November 2009 11:25_____
Im Auftragvon info@freemumia.com
Gesendet: Sonntag, 01. November 2009 03:22
Betreff: [MumiaNYC]
PD (Social-Democratic Party) – Parliamentary GroupAlliance 90/The Greens/Pink List – Parliamentary GroupFDP (Liberal-Democratic Party) – Parliamentary GroupDie LINKE (Left Party) – Parliamentary Group Resolution on the Occasion of the Full Meeting of the Munich City Council – October 28, 2009 –
As a municipality which considerately follows constitutional principles andis committed to just and sustainable ways of development, Munich regards itas its duty to be actively engaged in the worldwide protection of humanrights and to not look the other way when governmental abuse infringes onhuman dignity. In accord with this, the Capital of the State of Bavaria,Munich, has repeatedly taken a stance for the worldwide abolition of thedeath penalty, particularly in the context of the initiative „Cities forLife – Cities against the Death Penalty,“ in which several hundred majorcities on all continents have participated.
The death penalty is a barbaric act of state violence that constitutes anaffront against human dignity. It becomes outright murder whenever thequestion of guilt has not been unequivocally resolved, such as in the caseof Mumia Abu-Jamal. This African American journalist and civil rightsactivist has been on death row in the United States for 27 years, accused ofhaving allegedly killed a white police officer. Ever since then, Abu-Jamalhas insisted on his innocence, and human rights organizations have pointedto egregious procedural mistakes in Abu-Jamal’s original trial, which wereobviously rooted in a background of prevalent racism. For these reasons, we join the world-wide solidarity campaign for MumiaAbu-Jamal and demand a new, fair trial for him.
The United States of Americaare rightfully proud of the oldest democratic constitution of the world withits guarantee of equal rights for all. However, this role model functionalso obliges the state in question to an extremely careful and humaneevaluation of each individual case. As a matter of course, the legalprinciple in dubio pro reo (or „the benefit of the doubt“) is of particular,increased importance in all cases that involve the death penalty. Beyond this particular case, the Munich City Council of course continues todemand the complete abolition of the death penalty. Particularly in friendlystates such as the U.S.A., the decision to do away with it is long overdue.
Keyword: 091028_OA_DIR_Resolution_Solidaritaet_Abu_Jamal Translation:
Michael Schiffmann —
Mumia is Innocent! Stop the Frame Up!
Free Mumia!– Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition, NYCP.O. Box 16, College Station, NY, NY 10030212-330-8029, www.FreeMumia.com , info@FreeMumia.com