Britain Accused Of Creating ‘New Political Prisoners’

Britain is being accused of creating a new generation of “political prisoners” as climate protesters and pro-Palestine activists face increasingly harsh jail sentences for direct action campaigns.

A new report by Queen Mary University of London and campaign group Defend Our Juries claims authorities in England and Wales are now routinely using prison sentences, lengthy pre-trial detention and sweeping legal powers to suppress protest movements.

The researchers argue that acts of civil disobedience which once rarely resulted in custody are now increasingly leading to long jail terms.

According to the report, 286 climate and Palestine solidarity activists have been imprisoned for protest-related actions, amounting to a combined total of 136 years behind bars.

Protesters Jailed Before Trial For Months

The study found the average prison term among recorded cases was 28 weeks, with around one in three protesters jailed for six months or longer.

One in five reportedly received sentences exceeding a year.

Researchers said pre-trial detention — known as remand — is increasingly being used as a weapon against activists.

In around 60 per cent of cases examined, protesters ultimately received sentences shorter than the time they had already spent locked up awaiting trial.

The report highlighted the case of the so-called “Filton 24,” linked to protests at a factory near Bristol operated by Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit Systems.

Some defendants reportedly spent up to 18 months in custody before trial, despite standard pre-trial detention limits normally lasting six months.

Judges And Injunctions Under Fire

Professor David Whyte, co-author of the report, argued the punishments are becoming “exceptional” and politically targeted.

He claimed courts are imposing unusually severe sentences specifically against protesters involved in civil disobedience movements.

The report also criticised the growing use of contempt of court rulings linked to breaches of civil injunctions.

Researchers warned private companies and local authorities are increasingly using injunctions to criminalise protest activity, effectively allowing civil disputes to result in jail terms.

One example cited involved 69 people imprisoned following injunctions obtained by Warwickshire Borough Council during protests connected to Just Stop Oil at the Kingsbury oil terminal.

Some protesters were reportedly jailed for actions as minor as holding placards in restricted areas.

Judiciary Defends Sentencing Decisions

The judiciary has rejected claims of political bias.

A spokesperson said judges operate independently and impose sentences according to laws passed by Parliament and guidance issued by the Sentencing Council.

The spokesperson added that courts assess each case individually, weighing aggravating and mitigating factors before handing down punishments.

But critics argue Britain’s expanding anti-protest laws, tougher policing powers and increasingly aggressive legal tactics are creating a chilling effect on political dissent.

The report claims the result is a justice system increasingly willing to imprison activists not for violence, but for disruptive protest against climate policies and the war in Gaza.

SOURCE

Often protesters are held longer on remand before trial than their sentences would have been. IOW, guilty until proven innocent in court.

It's not only dictatorships with political prisoners. They're in every country and it's shameful.

Arrest the violent, the terrorists not those who act with conscience using sharp pens.