"Michel Forst, UN special rapporteur, joins growing chorus of voices criticising jail terms handed to five defendants"

"The lengthy multi-year sentences handed to Just Stop Oil activists are “not acceptable in a democracy”, a UN special rapporteur has said, as the government faced growing pressure to reverse the previous administration’s “hardline anti-protest” approach.

Michel Forst, the UN special rapporteur for environmental defenders, joined a growing chorus of voices condemning the sentences handed down to the five defendants for planning non-violent protests on the M25.

But the government said it would not intervene in the case, with Keir Starmer’s spokesman saying judgments and sentencing were matters for independent judges, “and it is not for politicians to intervene”."

Damien Gayle, Helena Horton and Ben Quinn report for the Guardian July 19, 2024. [2]

SEE ALSO:

"Five Just Stop Oil Activists Receive Record Sentences For Planning To Block M25" (Guardian) [3]