I am now in courtroom 4 of the Royal Courts of Justice. I presume that we will be permitted to live-tweet the proceedings, as we were during the hearing two weeks ago. Today's proceedings are scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. GMT -- 18 minutes from now. #FreeTommy
There is a special section for journalists here, and it's packed. I see at least 12 journalists here, in addition to our Rebel videographer. Someone from ITV and someone from Channel 5 were kind enough to introduce themselves to me. #FreeTommy
Tommy's legal team is here. Jeremy Dein is the barrister. He's here with his junior; so is Carson Kaye, the solicitor, with his junior, too. The attorney general's lawyer from last time, Louis Mably is not here (as his role has ended). #FreeTommy
I note a very large police presence today, in addition to the surveillance vehicle outside. Here is the police boss implying that Tommy's supporters are violent. Never seen this kind of political rhetoric by her against Antifa, or Islamists:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/c ... 71406.htmlSince the appeal hearing, I have learned some horrific details about Tommy's treatment in HMP Onley, the prison to which he was inexplicably transferred shortly after his sentence. I will list some of them here, while I wait for the judges to arrive. #FreeTommy
In HMP Onley, other prisoners regularly go to Tommy's cell, and shout at him through the flap of his door. This is permitted by the prison authorities -- it's a form of psychological torture. #FreeTommy.
There is a window in Tommy's cell, necessary for fresh air in this hot summer. But other prisoners are permitted to spit through his window, so he has to close it. Again, this is permitted by the prison authorities, as a form of psychological torture. #FreeTommy
Tommy's cell door was left unlocked by his jailers "accidentally" on three occasions, putting him at a real risk of violence. #FreeTommy
Tommy is only allowed to phone home during the lunch hour, so he is unable to speak with his children when they are at school. This is an arbitrary and punitive decision by the prison. #FreeTommy
My point here is: a 13-month prison sentence for contempt of court is disproportionate and unprecedented and absurd (and obviously illegal). But it is much worse; for it is in effective solitary confinement; and Tommy is regularly abused by the prison authorities. #FreeTommy
None of this is of interest to the Media Party, that is delighted to see Tommy shut up; none of it is of interest to Amnesty International, which would jump into action were this in a foreign regime they disliked. #FreeTommy
And where are Reporters Without Borders? Tommy was explicitly imprisoned for reporting on a court case. His journalism was what condemned him. Not a peep from those virtue-signalling leftists. #FreeTommy
My cursory legal research tells me that no other journalist in the UK has been imprisoned at all -- let alone for 13 months -- since 1949. #FreeTommy
The judges have just arrived. #FreeTommy