DOC wants Mumia to cut his hair to get out of solitary

In a statement issued late Thursday, January 12, an attorney for
Mumia Abu-Jamal reported that he has been given a new reason for his
continued solitary confinement - his long dreadlocks.

Prison authorities at SCI Mahanoy claim Abu-Jamal will be held in the
Restricted Housing Unit on disciplinary custody until he cuts his
hair. This is an old tactic that was used against Mumia when he was a
death row prisoner. He spent 8 years on disciplinary status in death
row until he was removed from that status--without getting a
haircut--in the early 1990s.

It has taken prison officials five weeks to invent this new pretext
for continuing the 30-year-long solitary confinement torture of
Abu-Jamal. Mumia and his supporters are calling for his immediate
release to general population and the shut down of all of the
solitary units in PA.

Sign a petition to transfer Mumia out of the hole.

Read and forward this press release from the National Lawyers Guild:
"After death row transfer, NLG VP Mumia Abu-Jamal languishes in solitary"

Contact Department of Corrections officials and let them know you are
not fooled and will not tolerate efforts to silence and torture Mumia:

1) Write, Phone, and email the Secretary of Corrections: Demand that
Mumia be transferred to General Population! And demand the shutdown
of RHU (Restricted Housing Unit) Torture Blocks!
John Wetzl, Secretary Department of Corrections
2520 Lisburn Road, P.O. Box 598, Camp Hill, PA
17001-0598 (717) 975-4928 Email:
ra-contactdoc@pa.gov

2) Write, Phone, and email the Superintendent:
John Kerestes, Superintendent
SCI Mahanoy
301 Morea Road
Frackville, PA 17932
(570) 773-2158 Fax: (570) 783-2008

3) Write, Phone, and email the Philadelphia DA. Demand that they
petition the court to free Mumia, based on suppression of evidence.
They have buried evidence and the truth for 30 years. The police
corruption and the frame up of
Mumia must be exposed.
Seth Williams, DA Philadelphia
Three South Penn Square
Philadelphia, PA 19107-3499
(215) 686-8000 Email:
DA_Central@phila.gov

and finally, send Mumia a note or a card:

Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI Mahanoy
301 Morea Road
Frackville, PA 17932