Membership As A Crime

A regional leader of a communist party was prosecuted under a federal law that makes it a crime to belong to a group advocating the violent overthrow of the government. Former members testified the party taught that violent revolution was inevitable, ran schools in revolutionary tactics, and that he personally told recruits force would be needed. He says punishing a man for what organisation he belongs to punishes his beliefs. The law requires proof he was an active member, knew the unlawful aim, and meant to bring it about.