FOR NINE years an innocent Asian man, Satpal Ram, has been imprisoned after he was attacked by six racists.
Though he was attacked process. by this group and 'glassed' in the face and wrist, he was convicted of murder, and jailed for life. His 'crime' in the eyes of the British legal system was fighting back in his own self-defence.
Since he was jailed in will be heard. 1986 the Free Satpal camSUPPORTERS of jailed Midlands journalist Raghbir Singh will be protesting outside Winson Green prison in Birmingham at noon on June 24.
They will hold a birthday party with balloons, cakes, cards and presents for Raghbir's 11-year old daughter Harvinder Kaur, who will have been separated from her father for three months.
Raghbir Singh, who edits a Smethwick-based Punjabi language newspaper, lives in Willenhall near Walsall with his British wife and two British children. In 15 years in Britain he has never been in trouble with the police.
Though jailed, and threatened with deportation as a 'threat to national security', Mr Singh has never been charged with any offence or appeared before a court. On June 13 Home Secretary Michael Howard admitted to a delegation of Labour MPs that Raghbir was not responsible for paign has worked to link a self is no guarantee that juswide range of supporters. tice will be served, as preThough he has not yet been vious cases such as the released, the campaign is Birmingham Six and the convinced it has already M25 three have shown. made a difference to the legal is not winding down, but After many years of cam- reaching out for more suppaigning they won favour- port. able judgements on the case pressure on and forced the Home Secre- authorities, telling them they tary to reverse his original a are being watched and that (1993) refusal to allow an further injustice will not be appeal. In February it was tolerated. announced that an appeal is willing to send speakers to Of course an appeal in it- any meeting (with some help Many criminal activities in this country, and that evidence against him was not available to put before the courts. Mr Singh is being strongly supported by his union, the NUJ and an alliance of groups opposed to deportations and detention. Birmingham NUJ secretary Jeremy Dear said: "The Homes Secretary is admitting his case won't stand up in court - but he doesn't care. "The immigration laws in this country cause misery for thousands of people. Many people fleeing brutal regimes are treated almost as badly by our gov. ernment. And the vast majority of people involved are black. These laws are applied in a racist manner." Raghbir's supporters believe he for travel expenses) and can provide a full range of campaign material (leaflets, newsletter, poster, legal dossier, stickers, model letThat's why the campaign ter).
Labour movement bodies are urged to affiliate to the Solidarity puts more campaign, at a fee of £25 to the legal cover costs of leaflets and activities. • The Free Satpal Campaign can be contacted c/o 101 Villa Rd, The Free Satpal campaign Handsworth, Birmingham B19 1NH, 0121-551-4518. West Midlands campaigners back Raghbir has been victimised because he has written articles critical of the indian • The campaign in his defence can be contacted c/o Birmingham NUJ, c/o 723 Pershore Rd, Birmingham.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No 86, June 24 1995, Page 10