. >> albert woodfox has always maintained that he was an innocent man. after a 40-year legal battle he was finally able to walk free. [applause] >> on his 69th birthday, albert woodfox walked out of the louisiana penitentiary a free man. he had been convicted twice for killing prison guard in 1972. he was sentenced to life in prison without parole. both convictions were overturned on appeal. last summer a judge ordered woodfox's release. but a federal appeals court decided he had to state behind bars while the state of louisiana challenged the release. woodfox's release friday comes after the state dropped the threat of sub jacketing him to a third murder trial. he said although i was looking forward to proving my innocence at a new trial, concerns about my health and my age have caused me to resolve this case now and obtain my release with this no contest plea to lesser charges. i hope the events of today will bring closure to many. woodfox was one of the so-called angola 3. he along with robert keen and her man wallace spent long stretches in angola, l

. >> woodfox's attorney said friday albert survived the effects treme punishment of 40 plus years of solitary confinement because of his extraordinary strength and character. these inhumane practices must stop. new orleans. >>> artists and poets from 40 country tries are defying security threats to take part in a literary festival in pakistan. organizers in lahor who were forced to change the event, they say it is to defy an environment of fear. >> reporter: there are few people in pakistan who know art and literature as well as 73-year-old sal e-mail mahashmi. she began her career more than 50 years ago and has plenty of experience with political instability in pakistan. she said her journey hasn't been growing but growing talent gives her hope. >> one has witnessed great upheaval, social, political and artistic. but the thing that continuously amazes one is the ability to innovate against all kind of odds and a surprising way of remaining free. >> activists say freedom of speech doesn't come naturally to pakistan and other parts of south asia. from new d delhi, artists have suffere

woodfox said that albert survived the extreme environment of solitary confinement because of his strength and character. these inhumane practices must stop. jonathan martin, al jazeera, new orleans. >> director of the national prison project at the american civil liberties union. he joins us live from washington, d.c. thank you very much for being with us. 43 years in solitary confineme confinement. how does anyone survive that? >> it's quite extraordinary that he's able to survive the torture and mistreatment that is unknown any other democratic country. the damaging effects of solitary confinement are really quite well-known. they range from anxiety, panic attacks, to cognitive difficulties, inability to think clearly, to concentrate, self mutilation, suicide, and sometimes frank and irreversible psychosis. the fact that mr. woodfox has survived 43 years of this kind of abuse is really quite extraordinary. >> what might someone have access to if they're in solitary confinement? >> well, it's a level of deprivation that i think is really impossible for most of us to imagine. think of loc

albert woodfox's conviction was twice overturned yet he still remained in custody. he was kept in isolation because of his ties with the black panther movement. al jazeera's jonathan martin reports. >> on his 69th birthday, albert woodfox walked out of the louisiana state penitentiary a free man after 43 years of solitary confinement. he had been convicted twice of killing a prison guard. he was sentenced to spend life in prison without parole. both convictions were overturned on appeal. last summer a judge ordered his release but ordered that he had to stay behind bars while the state of louisiana challenged the release. he was released friday before being charged with a third murder trial. he said although i was looking forward to proving my innocence at a new trial, concerns about my health and my age caused me to resolve this case and to plea to lesser charges. i hope events of today will bring closure to many. woodfox was part of the so-called angola three. they would spend long stretches in solitary in any goal la, louisiana only max security prison. many beli

. >> on his 69th birthday, albert woodfox would walk out of the entrenchary a free man. woodfox had been convicted twice for murder of a prison guard. both convictions were overturned on appeal. last summer a judge ordered wo woodfox's release. his release comes after the state dropped the threat of sub jacketing him to a third murder trial. in turn woodfox pleaded no contest to lesser charges. he said in a statement: >> woodfox was one of the stalled angola three. he along with robert king and herman wallace would spend long stretches in solitary in any goal la. many of the supporters believed that the men were political prisoners being held for their involvement with the black panthers and because they fought for better prison conditions. >> they were the scapegoats. there was opportunity. but the president administration to continue and to destroy the black panther movement. >> in a statement friday, woo woodfox thanked herman wallace and robert king for their support. king was released in 2001. wallace was released in 2013 after more than 30 years in solitary confine

albert woodfox's murder conviction was twice overturned, yet he still remained in custody, spending 43 years in prison confinement. some say that he was kept in isolation because of his ties to the black panther movement. >> on his 69th birthday albert woodfox walked out of the louisiana state penitentiary as a free man after four decades in solitary confinement. he was convicted twice of killing a prison guard. he was sentenced to life to prison without parole. both of those convictions were overturned. but he was ordered his release, but he had to stay behind bars while the state challenged the release. friday they dropped the threat of subjecting him to a third murder trial in turn he pled no contest to lesser charges. woodfox said: wood it will fox was one of the so-called angola three. he along with robert king and herman wallace spent long stretches of time in solitary in angola, louisiana only maximum security prison. many believed that the men were political prisoners being held for thinks involvement with the black panthers and because they foot for better prison conditions. >