Daniel Duggan

AAPP has decided that the extradition request by the US for an Australian pilot, Daniel Duggan, and the 15 month jail sentence brought down against climate activist, Violet Coco, constitute political prosecutions. We will write to AG Dreyfus about Mr Duggan’s case and let you know of the response. Duggan appears in Court on 16 December. The secrecy in relation to the charges against Duggan are a major cause of concern.

Ben Doherty, Shrouded in secrecy: the Australian trial of a former Marines pilot facing extradition to the US, the Guardian, 6 December 2022

Violet Coco

Violet Coco has been arrested a number of times for urging stronger action on climate change. Her latest arrest led to her being sentenced to 15 months gaol for blocking one lane of the Sydney Harbour bridge for 25 minutes. Whatever you think of the blocking roads tactic, the laws against protesting recently enacted by the NSW government are unreasonably harsh. She was refused bail but an appeal against that judgement will be heard on 13 December. We intend writing to Premier Perrotet about these laws and Violet’s case.

Tasmin Rose and Michael McGowan, NSW premier describes jailing of climate activist Deanna ‘Violet’ Coco as ‘pleasing to see’, The Guardian, 5 December 2022

 Stephen Langford

“Activist Stephen Langford is facing two years jail for sticking a piece of A4 paper to a statue of Lachlan Macquarie in Sydney’s Hyde Park.

The retired nurse faced court for sticking the paper on the statue with Macquarie’s own words “All Aborigines from Sydney onwards are to be made prisoners of war and if they resist they are to be shot and their bodies to be hung from trees in the most conspicuous places near where they fall so as to strike fear into the hearts of surviving natives.” The Saturday Paper, 2-8 October, 2021.

Stephen faced court on July 4th 2022 in Sydney where the charges were dismissed.

Witness J

Witness J was a person sentenced, charged and served his sentence in secret before his case became public. See Andrew Probyn, Witness J surrenders war medal, accuses his former employer of failing him, ABC News, 10 March, 2020.