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UK: "Justice for Satpal Ram" march

01 November 1996

Over three hundred people marched through Birmingham in November supporting Satpal Ram's fight against a murder conviction. Satpal was found guilty of murder over nine years ago after stabbing one of a gang of six racists who brutally attacked him. Satpal went for a meal at a restaurant in Lozells, Birmingham, West Midlands, where he was set upon by six white men. Plates and glasses were thrown and one of the men broke a glass and thrust it into Satpal's face. He was also stabbed twice in the attack; after the second stabbing Satpal pulled out a small knife and attempted to warn off his attackers. They went at him again and, fearing for his life, Satpal stabbed one of them. The man died later after refusing medical assistance. During the trial most of the prosecution evidence came from the racists who were involved in the attack. Witness statements taken from the Bengali staff who worked in the restaurant were ignored by the police. Satpal's barrister advised him to change his plea from self-defence during a brief forty minute consultation, an approach later endorsed by the Court of Appeal. Satpal's trial was also compromised by the fact that vital defence evidence was lost because no interpreter was provided for an all-white jury. The Free Satpal Ram campaign argue that Satpal did not have a fair trial. They complain that when Satpal took his case to appeal, in November last year, the judges who found against him "only looked at the evidence from the five men involved with the attack on him". The demonstration saw a large turnout from the local community, and by other defence campaigns from London and elsewhere, supporting Satpal's demand to have his case reopened. Supporters have also expressed concern for his safety as he has allegedly been attacked several times by prison officers. The Free Satpal Ram Campaign can be contacted c/o 101 Villa Road, Handsworth, Birmingham B19 1NH, Tel. 0121 507 1618.