Jailed members of environmental pressure group Just Stop Oil are planning to bring legal action to have what they describe as overly-restrictive and unlawful probation conditions scrapped. They say that unjustified requirements such as being unable to associate with any person currently or formerly associated with the group, or being barred from participating in meetings or contributing to websites without approval, prevents them from leading a normal life.
One woman, soon to be released, describes the conditions as being “not measurable, clear, or defined”. She said: “In some respects my freedom is greater when incarcerated. If I break my probation conditions, the punishment will be a recall to prison where I will once again be able to make calls and have visits from my mates.”
One Just Stop Oil supporter was told that he would not be able to attend any meetings including meetings of his local Labour party. Another has been forbidden from meeting with his girlfriend, on the grounds that she is also a Just Stop Oil supporter. The group says that its supporters are routinely treated like extremists, with licence conditions that go way beyond the standard for other offenders.
It agrees that conditions that forbid its members from undertaking the activities that led to their convictions, such as blocking roads, are understandable, but says that clamping down on commenting on the beliefs they follow and attending political meetings held by the party that is in Government in this country are infringements of freedom of speech. It further claims that banning people from being with their partner just because of shared political views is contrary to the right to a family life.
Just Stop Oil members also point out that, whilst in prison, they could have two-hour visits with their friends, and call them on the telephone, and even publish articles in newspapers, but once out they cannot do any of these things.
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