On the 28th of May 2010 Martin Askew was sentenced to 18 months in prison for showing his contempt at the Israeli siege on Gaza at the beginning of 2009, which killed over 1400 people including 400 children and reduced large areas of the already devastated Gaza to rubble. Martin hurt no one in his actions and was in fact brutally, and near fatally, attacked by the police, leaving him needing 70 stitches to his head. Like all t…he protesters who have been put through this ordeal, the process has taken an incredible toll on Martin’s partner and young children. It is a huge injustice that such compassionate and conscientious people are in jail for showing support for a people who are living in a state of constant brutal oppression.
Read about Martin’s case here:
http://gazademosupport.org.uk/articles/protester-convicted-after-being-left-with-70-stitches/
Please come to the court of appeals to demand the release, or at the very least a reduction in sentence, of another of these brave individuals.
24th August 2010, 9am
Royal Courts of Justice
The Strand
London WC2A 2LL
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?q=London+WC2A+2LL&oe=utf-8&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-GB%3Aofficial&client=firefox-a&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hq&hnear=London+WC2A+2LL&gl=uk&ei=VJRqTMHEKJm8jAeA4NiDAQ&sa=
X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1&ved=0CBcQ8gEwAA
Nicki Jameson - Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! – August/September 2010
On 13 July, 10 young men imprisoned for participating in protests in January 2009 against the Israeli onslaught on Gaza appealed against the length of their sentences. Three high court judges ruled that the sentencing judge, Judge Dennis, had set the starting point for sentences too high and that he should have begun from the premise that the benchmark sentence would be 27 months, instead of 36. On this basis, and taking into consideration various other factors, the court reduced the prison terms in six cases – resulting in two immediate releases. Three further appeals were unsuccessful.
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Investigations into the London Gaza protests last year have called into question how CCTV evidence is being used by police
Nicola Cutcher, The Guardian, 19th July 2010
Gaza protesters in London last year. Photograph: Fiona Hanson/PA
Last week there was a slight tipping of the justice scales in relation to the London protests against the Israeli offensive in Gaza in January 2009. Protesters were awarded reduced sentences by the court of appeal who judged that the starting point for their sentences had been too high.
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As a result of yesterday’s appeals seven protesters have had their sentences reduced by between three and 18 months.
Lord Justice Thomas, Mrs Justice Rafferty DBE, and Mr Justice Bean ruled that the starting point of 3 years applied by sentencing judge, Judge Denniss, was too high. It was reduced to 27 months.
This meant that one defendant had his sentence reduced from two and a half years to 12 months. As a result he and several other protesters who are currently in prison should be eligible for early release in the next few months.
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Tomorrow 10 appeals against the unjust jail sentences will be heard at the Royal Courts of Justice, Strand, London, WC2A 2LL
Please come and show your support if you can
See Facebook event http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=133094830046057
Simon Israel, Channel 4 – 12 July 2010
Exclusive: Two protesters beaten by unidentified police officers during a Gaza demonstration in London receive £25,000 in compensation from the Metropolitan Police, writes home affairs correspondent Simon Israel.
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There are currently over a dozen people in prisons across Britain who are serving prison sentences for protesting Israeli war crimes and Britain’s complicity with such crimes.
Many were not political activists, but moved by shocking images of death and destruction in Gaza last year they felt compelled to act.
Please take the time to write to them and show your support. Names and addresses are available at the bottom of this page.
The jury in the trial of seven activists who decommissioned a Brighton
arms factory to prevent Israel war crimes in Gaza in January 2009, have
now found all seven activists not guilty of Conspiracy to Cause Criminal
Damage by unanimous verdict in Hove Crown Court.
The seven entered the factory on 16th Jan 2009, causing nearly £200,000 of
damage and shutting down production. They offered no defence other than
the prevention of imminent war crimes.
Simon Levin, Tom Woodhead, Ornella Saibene, Bob Nicholls, Harvey Tadman
were all acquitted on Wednesday.
The final two Elijah Smith and and Chris Osmond were acquitted this morning. Read more »
Smasher, Indymedia, Monday June 28, 2010
Updated: The judge has started his summing up of the EDO decommissioners court case.
According to him, he has another hour of summing up to do (Tuesday morning). After that the jury will go out and the verdict can be any time after that.
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