Tag: Conspiracy charges

Uhuru 3 Appeal to Overturn Conviction on Conspiracy Charges

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In December 2024, Yeshitela, Penny Hess, and Jesse Nevel — the Uhuru 3, as they are known — were acquitted of charges that they had acted as agents of a foreign power, in this case Russia, and interfered in elections. However, the jury found them guilty of conspiracy to act as agents of a foreign power.Twisting political opinion and protest activities into an alleged conspiracy is the same method the federal government is using against those speaking out against genocide in Palestine and raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in order to quell dissent. And it is the same argument that Washington has most recently outlined in a July 27, 2026, state department document, Cuba: The Capital of 21st Century Communism, targeting those who oppose the U.S. blockade of the island nation. The following is a report on hearings held July 22, 2026, to overturn the conviction.

U.S. Gov’t Attacks Free Speech, Right to Protest in Minnesota

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Justice Department Uses ‘Conspiracy’ Charges to Curtail Dissent. In one of the latest attacks on free speech and the right to protest, a federal grand jury in Minneapolis has indicted 15 people on felony charges related to protests against Operation Metro Surge last winter. The June 16, 2026, indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice is the latest attempt by the Trump administration to criminalize its opponents. The case tests how far prosecutors can go to manufacture a criminal conspiracy based on group chats, social media posts, discussions of protest tactics, and efforts to protect privacy using anti-surveillance precautions.