Two-day hearing will see 16 Just Stop Oil activists seek to challenge historically draconian sentences for peaceful protest 

Activists were sentenced for up to five years imprisonment, for a range of peaceful protests 

‘Now is the time for the courts to step back from the anger and irritation aimed at protesters - for calmer heads to prevail, and for reason to return to sentencing for protest offences’- Kerry Moscogiuri 

Ahead of a major legal test over the right to protest which is due to begin at the Court of Appeal today (Wednesday 29 January) in which 16 Just Stop Oil (JSO) activists will challenge jail terms of unprecedented length related to peaceful protest, Kerry Moscogiuri, Campaigns and Communications Director at Amnesty International UK, said: 

“This week’s hearing is a critical opportunity for the courts to rethink the increasingly harsh approach being taken against the right to peacefully protest.  

“In recent years, UK politicians have instigated a severe crackdown on peaceful protesters, often cheered on by sections of the media. Police powers to interfere with peaceful protests have been expanded, a raft of new criminal offences have been created and maximum sentences for protest offences are now dramatically increased.

“It is the duty of the independent courts to protect fundamental rights, regardless of whether governments and newspaper like the actions of peaceful protesters or not. Sadly, the courts have increasingly bowed to this political pressure and have abandoned their historic approach of treating conscientious protesters with leniency.  

“The result has been catastrophic for those caught up in the crackdown and for the free exercise of protest rights in this country. 

“Peaceful protest is a fundamental human right that everyone must always be able to enjoy - it helped forge the society we live in today and should continue to play a crucial role in the world of tomorrow.  

“Protest can be irritating and antagonising for other people, but it is precisely this form of protest that must be protected. Choosing only to allow protest that doesn’t disturb or inconvenience anyone else renders all protest protections meaningless.  

“Now is the time for the courts to step back from the anger and irritation aimed at protesters, for calmer heads to prevail, and for reason to return to sentencing for protest offences.” 

An injustice of historic proportions 

This week’s hearing involves 16 JSO activists from four separate cases. The decision by the court to conduct the hearing as a single, mass two-day event highlights the significance of this case - it is rare for so many different appeals to be combined.  

The appeal is being supported by environmental justice organisations Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace UK. Last month, the two groups were granted permission to intervene specifically on the appeal brought by Daniel Shaw, Louise Lancaster, Lucia Whittaker De Abreu, Cressida Gethin and Roger Hallam, all of whom were sentenced in July last year at Southwark Crown Court for their participation in a Zoom call to organise a planned M25 protest. However, Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace UK’s submissions have been written to assist those involved in the other linked appeals too.