political prisoners in the United States. Progressives nationwide joined this effort, and the petition was submitted in Geneva, Switzerland. This led to the National Conference of Black Lawyers having the UN International Commission of Jurists tour US prisons and speak with specific political prisoners. The International Commission of Jurists then reported that political prisoners did in fact exist in the United States. In 1997, Jalil initiated the Jericho Movement. Over 6,000 supporters gathered in the Jericho ‘98 Marches in Washington, DC and the Bay Area to demand amnesty for US political prisoners on the basis of international law. The Jericho Movement aims to gain the recognition by the U.S. government that political prisoners exist in this country and, that on the basis of international law, they should be granted amnesty because of the political nature of their cases. In December 2018, Jalil was denied parole for the ninth time. He had hoped that recent reforms in parole regulations in New York state, designed to make it more difficult to deny parole to a person classified as low risk of reoffending, would work to his benefit. In May 2019, he filed an Application to Commute the Sentence to Time Served with New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. Cuomo has the authority to grant the application and immediately release Jalil. 75 public figures sent a letter to Governor Cuomo asking him to commute Jalil’s sentence, including Angela Davis, Cornel West, Danny Glover, and Michelle Alexander. It remains to be seen what the outcome of that application will be. There was an immediate appeal filed in regard to the December 2018 parole denial. In October 2019, it was announced that the appeal was denied and Jalil will remain in captivity for now. Letters of support for him can be sent to:
Anthony Jalil Bottom Sullivan C.F. P.O. Box 116 Fallsburg, NY 12733-0116