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Saptal Ram given judicial review (1)

01 January 1991

Saptal Ram given judicial review
artdoc July=1994

After eight years in prison Satpal Ram has finally been granted
a judicial review of his case. In 1986 Mr Ram was convicted of
murder following an incident in which he was assaulted by six
white men following a row in a restaurant, in Birmingham, after
they racially abused staff. Mr Ram was attacked when he attempted
to intervene.
Although Mr Ram was taken to hospital, where he needed
stitches, his defence counsel advised him against pleading self-
defence. Also, three key Bengali-speaking witnesses were not
provided with interpreters, which meant that the all-white jury
were unable to understand their testimony. As Mr Ram put it
himself: `All the evidence suggests that I defended myself from
a racial attack, yet I am still in prison serving a life
sentence.'
Supporters of Mr Ram have been conducting a campaign demanding
that his case be re-opened. Over one hundred people attended the
picket outside the High Court in May where he was granted a
judicial review. The campaign will continue and supporters are
asked to write to their MP or the Home Secretary. The Free Saptal
Campaign can be contacted at 101 Villa Road, Handsworth,
Birmingham B19 1NH.

Statewatch, vol 4 no 3, May-June 1994