Kijana Tashiri Askari (Marcus Harrison #H-54077) is an incarcerated abolitionist at California Medical Facility who has been eligible for parole since 2005. He is a founding member of the WL Nolen Mentorship program, which is a community-based pen-pal service that was constructed in order to connect prisoners to their communities while providing mentorship on issues such as ‘critical thinking skills and alternatives to gangs & gang violence.’ While incarcerated, he has continued to conduct interviews and has published writing in numerous spaces, including Critical Resistance and SF Bayview. Based on his personal and community work Kijana also meets the criteria of being low risk for reoffending. 

Kijana is medically vulnerable and is in the California Medical Facility due to documented cases of asthma & hypertension. They are currently conducting further tests on his sleep apnea, heart issues, and other medical concerns. At 48 years old, he is an aging member of the prison population and his health conditions have only been exacerbated by his 23 year long sentence. He has been eligible for parole for 15 years now and has an upcoming parole hearing in July 2021. Given all of this he meets the criteria for early release as detailed in CDCR’s expedited release plan: 

“Have 365/180 days or less to serve on their sentence

Are not currently serving time for domestic violence or a violent crime as defined by law
Have no current or prior sentences that require them to register as a sex offender
Not have an assessment indicating a high risk for violence

Individuals who are 30 and over and who meet the eligibility criteria are immediately eligible for release. Those who meet these criteria and are age 29 or under will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis for release. CDCR will consider medical risk, case factors, and time served, among other factors, in determining whether to expedite release for those identified in this cohort.”

Join us by signing this petition and demanding Kijana's release!