Dear all, This may be of interest - for UK folks to sign, for others to see that fracking battles are ramping up over here.
Best wishes Jan Dear all, As you may be aware by now, last week three anti-fracking protesters received long jail sentences (15 to 16 months) for nonviolent protest against Cuadrilla's fracking operations in Lancashire. A group of concerned academics have drafted an open letter in response to this sentence (the text and media links are below), to express our concern about the harsh sentencing and the increasing criminalisation of peaceful protest in the UK. This letter was originally titled 'Open letter from University of Sussex academics' but, given the overwhelming support, we have opened it up to academics from across the UK who wish to express their concern. The number of signatures is nearing 1,000, and we are hoping that you can help us reach as many of you colleagues as possible. If you share our concerns and have not already signed on, please read and sign on to the letter here<http://bit.ly/openletterUK> and please do share this message your networks. You may also copy and paste this link into your browser to view the letter and sign: bit.ly/openletterUK <http://bit.ly/openletterUK> Warm regards, Andrea Open letter from UK academics: The harsh sentencing of anti-fracking campaigners sets a dangerous precedent We the undersigned are writing to express our growing concern about the shrinking space for communities and environmental defenders to engage in civil opposition to fracking developments in the UK. This week three non-violent campaigners opposing fracking were jailed for 15 to 16 months simply for ‘causing a public nuisance’ and for not expressing regret. Although others have received jail sentences in more recent times, this is the first time since 1932 that environmental defenders have been imprisoned for such long periods of time for staging a protest in the UK. It is also the first time ever that activists have been jailed for anti-fracking actions. With fracking companies increasingly granted civil injunctions to prevent protest, the scope of protest is becoming more and more restricted, representing a threat to fundamental rights to freedom of expression and assembly. Fracking is controversial in the UK. According to government surveys conducted in 2017, only 16% of people support fracking development. Given the grave environmental consequences of hydraulic fracturing and growing concerns about climate change, this is not surprising. The ruling sets a worrying precedent, curtailing opportunities for the kind of public protests that have historically been effective in instituting the legal and policy changes that defend our environment for our future generations. We need more, not less, space for action to confront unsustainable industrial practices that harm our communities and perpetuate our reliance on fossil fuels. We oppose this absurdly harsh sentence and join calls for an inquiry into the declining space for civil society protest that it represents. Sincerely, [...] More information is available at the supporters' web site at http://frackfreefoursupporters.org/ Share link: bit.ly/openletterUK<http://bit.ly/openletterUK> RECENT MEDIA COVERAGE The Independent UK: Anti-fracking activists jailed for 'causing a public nuisance' during four-day protest https://ind.pn/2OAa18F Fracking protesters' 'absurdly harsh' jail sentences sparks calls for judicial review backed by hundreds of scientists https://ind.pn/2OylGEY The Guardian: Four anti-fracking activists face prison over protest http://bit.ly/2Ox9pQQ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "gep-ed" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
