Philadelphia, December 18 (RHC)-- In Pennsylvania, imprisoned former Black Panther and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal is set to testify in court on the lack of adequate medical care he’s received in prison.

Mumia Abu-Jamal has been ill with symptoms of the hepatitis C virus for more than eight months, but prison officials have refused to dispense an antiviral drug that could cure him, claiming his symptoms are not "severe enough."

One of the longest-held political prisoners in the United States, Mumia Abu-Jamal will appear via video stream from prison, addressing whether he should be treated immediately.

His supporters say he nearly died from untreated diabetes in March and has been suffering from serious skin rashes and swelling linked to his untreated hepatitis C virus.