Britain has created a new breed of political prisoners through the systematic incarceration of people acting to prevent climate breakdown and the war in Gaza, according to a report by Queen Mary University of London and the protest group Defend Our Juries. The research reveals that custodial sentences for acts of direct action or civil disobedience, once rare, are now being imposed with increasing length and frequency.
The report identifies 286 cases involving climate and Palestine-solidarity activists who were sent to prison for protest, totalling 136 years of jail time. The average detention period was 28 weeks, with one in three protesters jailed for six months or more and one in five for more than a year. The researchers highlight the 'Filton 24', who spent up to 18 months in jail awaiting trial for a protest at an Israeli weapons factory, before most were bailed.
Contempt of court accounts for 40% of imprisonment cases, often arising from breaches of civil injunctions obtained by private companies or public authorities. Professor David Whyte, co-author of the report, said: 'The real danger is that you criminalise people for breaching something which is essentially a civil injunction. That doesn't start as a criminal offence but ends up with a criminal penalty.'
A judicial spokesperson defended the system, stating: 'Judicial independence and impartiality are fundamental to the rule of law. Judges make decisions based on evidence and apply the law as it stands.' The report is set to be launched on Tuesday.
