https://www.declassifieduk.org/revealed-how-britain-weaponised-terrorism-laws-against-activists/
- Activists could be sentenced as terrorists despite not being convicted of terrorism
- Documents suggest “terrorism connection” was added to cases to help justify proscription of Palestine Action
- Authorities refuse to say when criminal damage crosses threshold into terrorism
- Intelligence report indicates actions costing over £1m could be treated as terrorism
- Arms companies could be incentivised to inflate protest-related damage costs to aggravate charges
- Palestine Action ban could be overturned next month
Four activists could be sentenced as terrorists next month despite not being convicted of terrorism offences.
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During the trial, a jury was asked to decide whether the defendants were guilty of criminal charges but not allowed to know there was also a “terrorism connection”.
The 12-panel jury was also not permitted to hear why the defendants chose to target the Israeli arms firm, stripping the action of all context – namely the genocide in Gaza.
It is now up to the presiding judge to decide whether to sentence the activists with a “terrorism connection” – and, if he does, the ramifications will be enormous.
Unlike most prisoners in the UK who serve around 40 percent of their sentences, they would have to serve their full terms unless they can convince a parole board that they have “reformed” after serving at least two-thirds of it.
Once released, they could be treated as terrorists for decades.
And this could all happen without a jury ever finding them guilty of any terrorist offence, marking the first case where activists risk prosecution under terrorism provisions.
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Article continues at https://www.declassifieduk.org/revealed-how-britain-weaponised-terrorism-laws-against-activists/
