The fight for Troy goes on

Our campaign for Troy Davis suffered a major setback this week with the news that the US Supreme Court has rejected his appeal. At the realisation that Troy – who has been on death row for over 19 years and has already had an execution date set three times – may be executed within weeks, everyone involved in his case was deeply shocked, disappointed and saddened. But then we received this message from Troy’s sister, Martina Correia:

“ We are just beside ourselves, my mother is very silent, yet optimistic. I talked to Troy last night and he is more worried about his family and supporters than himself. He says we must never give up and know that no matter what happens we will do our best to fight this injustice and continue the fight for others like him. He is our rock and I draw strength from him. ”

Inspired by the strength of Troy and his family, we are redoubling our efforts to save him from the execution chamber. Watch the video below to find out more about the Supreme Court’s decision and see an interview with Martina. Then remind yourself why we won’t give up and what you can do to support Troy.

Why we won’t give up

We need to show Troy that we are with him and will never give up. We also need to show the State of Georgia that the world is watching closely and asking: how can they execute a man when there are so many doubts over his guilt?

And here’s a reminder just how serious those doubts are:

• No physical evidence links Troy to the crime of which he was convicted – and the weapon used in the crime was never found
• Seven of the nine non-police witnesses on whose evidence he was convicted have since recanted or contradicted their testimony
• Of the two witnesses who did not change their testimony, one is the principal alternative suspect
• Many witnesses stated they were pressured or coerced by police
• Nine individuals have signed affidavits implicating an alternative suspect

What you can do

We aim to collect as many petition signatures, messages and photos as possible to send to our colleagues in the US. This evidence of international support will give a huge boost to their clemency campaign, so please:

Sign the petition: If you have not already done so, please petition the state of Georgia to ensure justice for Troy. So far we’ve got over 20,000 on- and offline signatures in the UK alone, but the more names we get the louder our voice.

Upload your photo: Please take a photo showing why you don’t want the state of Georgia to execute Troy. The many doubts detailed above are compelling enough, but there’s also the matter of the death penalty being irreversible, the last word in cruel, inhumane and degrading punishments and the ultimate denial of human rights.

Spread the word: Tell everyone you know about Troy’s case – share the petitions, tag your photos, and make a point of telling his story of courage in the face of injustice to at least one person you meet today.

Here are some of the messages we have so far collected on behalf of Troy – please continue to add yours.

Messages of solidarity left by people who signed the Troy Davis petition