The federal trial of three prominent activists from the Uhuru Movement, Omali Yeshitela, Penny Hess, and Jesse Nevel—collectively known as the Uhuru 3—began on September 3, 2024. The trio faces serious charges brought by the U.S. government in April 2023, accusing them of acting as unregistered “agents of a foreign government,” specifically Russia.
This case, reminiscent of the Cold War-era indictment of renowned Black scholar and civil rights activist W.E.B. Du Bois, underscores the U.S. government’s concerns over foreign influence in its political landscape.
Omali Yeshitela, now 82, is the Chairman of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP) and has a long-standing reputation as a key figure in the Black liberation and anti-imperialist movements. For more than six decades, Yeshitela has advocated for the rights of African and colonized peoples worldwide. He founded the APSP to promote Black self-determination and oppose what he views as the U.S. government’s imperialist policies.
Penny Hess, Chair of the African People’s Solidarity Committee (APSC), and Jesse Nevel, Chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement (USM), are Yeshitela’s long-time collaborators and key figures in the Uhuru Movement. Hess and Nevel have worked closely with the movement, focusing on educating and organizing white allies in solidarity with Black liberation efforts.
The U.S. government alleges that Yeshitela, Hess, and Nevel conspired with Russian officials to advance Russia’s geopolitical agenda within the U.S. Prosecutors claim that these individuals, through their activism, promoted pro-Russian propaganda that opposed U.S. foreign policy, particularly in relation to the conflict in Ukraine. The case has drawn parparallels to the 1951 indictment of W.E.B. Du Bois, who was accused of being a Soviet agent for his peace activism, a charge that was later dismissed.
Central to the government’s case is the alleged relationship between the Uhuru 3 and Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a Russian national with connections to the FSB, Russia’s intelligence agency. According to the indictment, Ionov facilitated communications between the APSP and Russian officials, including paying for Yeshitela to travel to Moscow in 2015. The indictment further claims that Ionov provided financial support for several of the Uhuru Movement’s activities, including a four-city protest tour in 2016.
This protest focused on a “Petition on Crime of Genocide Against African People in the United States,” which had been submitted to the United Nations. Prosecutors argue that these actions were designed to create domestic division and undermine the United States’ international reputation.
In addition, the government contends that Ionov and his FSB contacts sought to influence local U.S. elections by backing APSP-affiliated candidates. The indictment specifically refers to a 2019 campaign for the St. Petersburg, Florida City Council, in which the candidate, Eritha “Akilé” Cainion, ran on a platform opposing systemic racism and police violence. Though Cainion lost the race and has not been charged in the case, the government points to her campaign as an example of Russian efforts to infiltrate U.S. electoral politics through the APSP.
The U.S. government also alleges that the Uhuru 3 were involved in protests supporting Russia’s geopolitical interests, particularly after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The APSP’s public demonstrations, prosecutors claim, adopted messaging that aligned with Russia’s narrative, aiming to weaken U.S. foreign policy and create divisions within the country. This strategy, they argue, is consistent with Russia’s broader objective of undermining U.S. democracy through ideological manipulation.
Yeshitela, Hess, and Nevel have denied all charges, asserting that their activism is independent and driven solely by their commitment to Black liberation and anti-colonialism. In statements to the media, Yeshitela emphasized that the Uhuru Movement has been advocating for these issues for more than 50 years and rejects the notion that their actions were influenced by foreign powers. “We’ve been doing this work now for more than 50 years,” Yeshitela said, insisting that their activism is rooted in the longstanding struggle for justice, not foreign interference.
Their legal defense argues that any financial contributions received from Ionov were donations to support the movement’s work and not payments to promote Russian interests. The defense further maintains that the activities of the Uhuru Movement fall under the protection of the First Amendment, framing the case as an attempt by the U.S. government to criminalize dissent and stifle movements that challenge its foreign and domestic policies. They also argue that the government is using the “foreign agent” charges as a tool to discredit Black liberation movements, drawing a parallel to historical efforts to suppress radical voices within the civil rights movement.
Ajamu Baraka, Chair of the Black Alliance for Peace (BAP), an organization that has come out strongly in support of the Uhuru 3, criticized the charges as an assault on Black radical activism. Baraka, who will observe the trial, stated that the U.S. government is attempting to contain Black opposition to its growing militarism abroad and repression at home. According to Baraka, if the government succeeds in silencing the Uhuru 3, it could set a precedent for broader crackdowns on progressive movements across the country.
If convicted, the Uhuru 3 could face severe penalties. The charge of failing to register as foreign agents carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, and additional conspiracy charges could add another five years. Another defendant in the case, Augustus C. Romain Jr., founder of the Black separatist group Black Hammer, also faces up to five years in prison, though he has not been charged with acting as a foreign agent.
Regardless of the trial’s outcome, it has already sparked significant debate about the balance between national security and the protection of political dissent. Experts warn that the case could set a dangerous precedent for future prosecutions of activist groups, particularly those critical of U.S. policies.
Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the German Marshall Fund, noted that Russia has a long history of infiltrating social movements to further its geopolitical goals. He warned that while the payoff in this case might seem small, the broader objective of creating divisions and undermining democratic institutions remains a key element of Russia’s strategy.
As the trial proceeds, it will not only spotlight the relationship between the APSP and Russian actors but also raise critical questions about the extent to which the U.S. government may invoke foreign influence laws to target dissent. The trial will likely be closely watched, both by supporters of the Uhuru Movement and by civil liberties advocates concerned about the broader implications for free speech and political activism in an increasingly polarized environment.
This article was originally titled “Black Alliance for Peace Condemns the Federal Indictments of Uhuru 3 and Denial of their Fundamental Human Rights to Speech, Association, Information, and Political Dissent” and was written by the editors of Black Agenda Report. It was first published online on September 4, 2024. Sharon Fountain contributed to this report. The original article can be accessed at: https://www.blackagendareport.com/black-alliance-peace-condemns-federal-indictments-uhuru-3-and-denial-their-fundamental-human-rights.