Animal Activist jailed 4.5 years for organizing LEGAL protest!

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I wonder how long it will be before this happens in the U.S. [indymedia UK]Following a lengthy police investigation and an 18-week trial costingover £4.5 million, the operator of a website criticising animaltesting company Sequani, has been jailed for four and a half years fororganising a legal protest.In an unprecedented case, the press were barred from reporting thetrial, witnesses were bussed into the court and mobile phones wereeven confiscated from the public before they entered the gallery andthe jury. The atmosphere was more akin to a terrorist trial than onerelating to non-violent protest, which made the charges appear farmore sinister than they in fact were. The choice of judge was alsoconsidered highly questionable considering he is a keen hunter.Sean Kirtley was found guilty under Section 145 of the SOCPA law

for"Interfering with the contractual relationships of a Laboratory" forallegedly organising protests at Sequani Limited and associatedbusiness associates. Police say disorder took place on a occasionsduring protests and claim as the organiser that Sean is responsiblefor any criminality that takes place....Kirtley will be lodging an appeal. Kirtley's defence lawyer said:"This case sadly goes to show that animal rights campaigners have beensingled out and ordinary criminal law principles have been contortedsimply because, in the Government's eyes, powerful commercialinterests, founded on animal experimentation, are at risk fromeffective, open and popular protests."We urge the press to cover the case because this is not just an issueof an animal rights protester, whose views we understand many membersof the media may not share. But as Voltaire once said: "I disapproveof what you say, but I will defend to the

death your right to say it".We hope that this proves the case today.Most importantly, the case has serious repercussions on the freedom ofpublishing protest information on the net and the right to protestpeacefully, particularly where commercial interests are concerned....The SSAT website was closed down and a new campaign against animalexperimentation at Sequani has been started by other activists –http://sequani.wordpress.comInterviews can be arranged with the legal team and campaign pressofficer by contacting:Name: Chris DowdeswellTel: 01452 539673 / 07912 039069Email: warn-- full story:http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2008/06/400889.html http://pets.Fortheanimals7/join http://www.myspace.com/fortheanimals7