Defend Our Juries

Jurors have a right to acquit a defendant according to their conscience, irrespective of a Judge’s directions. Every defendant deserves access to fair justice.

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

The UK government is colluding with Israel to imprison its own citizens. Four young people could soon be sentenced as “terrorists” despite no such conviction.

What is “terrorist connection” sentencing?
It’s a scandal.

Join us on June 12th to oppose this.
https://t.co/vqXWFPPScY

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

Saving Lives Is Not Terrorism

Join us tomorrow at Woolwich Crown Court to oppose “terrorist connection” sentencing, and to stand for the rights and freedoms of everyone in the UK.

visit https://t.co/nOqO4QQdM5 for full info and a legal briefing.

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

BIAS

The same judge who is likely to sentence four young people as “terrorists” (even though they were not convicted of a terrorism offence) previously reduced violent far-right racist Tommy Robinson’s prison sentence, overriding an earlier High Court decision!

Short thread 🧵

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

The same judge could now sentence four young people as “terrorists” even though they haven’t received a terrorism conviction.

If sentenced with a “terrorist connection”, the Filton 4 will not be afforded the same opportunity as Robinson, a repeat criminal, for early release.

[Craig Murray @CraigMurrayOrg]

We have submitted a "reclaiming motion" to appeal against the cancellation of the Scottish judicial review of Palestine Action.

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

NEW RULE - ̷R̷I̷G̷H̷T̷S̷

“This is an unprecedented attack on civil rights by an already deeply authoritarian Labour government, and sets a dark precedent for tyrannical new powers that will be handed to future governments in order to crush dissent.”

https://t.co/KDhsk211hP

[Real Media @RealMediaGB]

As we reported last month, the jury in the retrial of the Filton 6 delivered a bizarre verdict, singling out Jordan Devlin and Zoe Rogers for acquittal while finding the other four guilty of criminal damage.

The verdict was unusual because all six admitted they had committed criminal damage and gave similar reasons for doing so.

Real Media spoke to the two activists who were acquitted by the jury while their four friends and fellow activists face sentencing with a terrorism connection. We also speak to the mother of one of the four, who questions a justice system that allows this.

Watch below or visit: https://t.co/1scQ8tPA0r

@freefilton24 @Prisoners4Pal @CAGEintl @DefendOurJuries

[Joanna Hardy-Susskind @Joanna__Hardy]

David Lammy’s proposals to restrict the right to jury trial have been examined by the Justice Committee of the House of Commons.

And. Well. Um.

It’s *quite* the report.

I think it’s actually worse than politely scathing.

It’s embarrassing 👇🏼🪡🧵

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

Lammy’s attack on jury trials won’t help the court system one jot, and it will remove our rights and freedoms along with it.

[LBC @LBC]

Magistrates courts 'won't cope' with Lammy axing jury trials, MPs fear https://t.co/t7kFlHcSRx

[Declassified UK @declassifiedUK]

The judge who will rule on Friday in the case of four Palestine Action activists was previously paid to represent the interests of MI6 and the Ministry of Defence. https://t.co/McT8kxulCM

[VPol @VocalPolitics1]

Judge Jeremy Johnson at Old Bailey, London, refused to recuse himself after Palestine Action defendants pushed to remove himself from their sentencing hearing over claims of bias.

￭ The application sought his removal over plans to attach a “terrorism connection” at sentencing despite jury convictions limited to criminal damage.

￭ Justice Johnson rejected the request, stating: “any fair minded observer would not consider a real possibility of bias. I therefore refuse to recuse myself from sentencing proceedings.”

￭ Members of the Filton 24 Charlotte Head, Leona Kamio, Samuel Corner and Fatema Rajwani face sentencing on 12 June; Jordan Devlin and Zoe Rogers were acquitted.

￭ Defense argued the judge’s referral of KC Rajiv Menon, later ruled unlawful by the Court of Appeal, amounted to an “unnecessary punitive response” and created an appearance of intimidation.

￭ The “terrorism connection” will be decided by the judge at sentencing.

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

Sentencing Palestine Action protesters as terrorists would be ‘constitutional threat’, says lawyer

Judge will decide whether four’s acts had link to terrorism, despite jury not convicting them of terrorism offence

https://t.co/XJaevYbBvB

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

Celebrities urge judge to drop ‘terror link’ in Palestine Action case

Steve Coogan, Miriam Margolyes, and Zawe Ashton have signed a letter urging a senior judge not to sentence activists as “terrorists” over a raid on an Israeli [arms factory].

https://t.co/HShishULIT

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

Palestine Action: Judge refuses recusing self from sentence hearing amid bias claims

Defendants accused Justice Johnson of bias & demanded he step aside from case, in which he is expected to add a 'terrorism connection' to the defendants' criminal charge

https://t.co/PXoouH5eug

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

Judge in Palestine Action Case Refuses to Recuse Himself Over Bias Claims

He is due to sentence four activists as terrorists in a move kept secret from jury.

https://t.co/tPVraYdm14

[Wokerati Marty @WokeratiMarty]

Jeremy Corbyn:

“Let’s not wait for another miscarriage of justice to take place, and instead attend Woolwich Crown Court on the 12th of June to stand with those who’ve tried to prevent the crime of genocide in Gaza.”

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

@DougNiv All avenues are being considered and worked through by the legal teams representing the four. There is ample justification for an appeal, in our opinion.

Prospects of a successful appeal depend on whether or not we have a corrupted justice system.

[Defend Our Juries @DefendOurJuries]

BREAKING

Judge Johnson decides not to recuse himself from the sentencing of the Filton 4.

“Any fair minded observer would not consider a possibility of bias. I therefore refuse to recuse myself…”, he stated.

5,116 people publicly disagreed, signing a letter of complaint.