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  1. #1
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    UK journalist Craig Murray jailed for 8 months

    Murray attended two days of Alex Salmond's trial in 2020 and wrote about the court proceedings on his blog and on Twitter. The judge in the case, Leeona Dorrian, issued an order forbidding the publication of the names or identifying information of the women who testified against Salmond.[67] In March 2021, Murray was found guilty at the Court of Session of contempt after writing blogs that risked prejudicing Salmond's trial and breaching the court-protected anonymity of complainants in the trial. A sentencing date was set for May 2021.[47] The Nationalreported that Murray instructed his lawyers to prepare for an appeal for the Supreme court after learning he had lost the case.[68]

    Murray was sentenced to eight months in prison for contempt of court.

  2. #2
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    Craig Murray jailed for eight months over reporting of Alex Salmond trial | The National

    PRO-INDEPENDENCE blogger and former diplomat Craig Murray has been jailed for eight months after being convicted of contempt of court over his reporting of Alex Salmond’s trial.

    The High Court in Edinburgh ruled that his coverage of the former first minister’s trial led to “jigsaw identification” of complainers who made allegations against him.

    A jury acquitted Salmond of all charges in March last year.

    This is thought to be the first time in Scottish legal history that “jigsaw identification” has led to someone being imprisoned.


    NEWS5 hrs agoCraig Murray jailed for eight months over reporting of Alex Salmond trial

    By Greg Russell @National_Greg

    The court's sentencing of Craig Murray has sparked outrage among international observers

    54

    PRO-INDEPENDENCE blogger and former diplomat Craig Murray has been jailed for eight months after being convicted of contempt of court over his reporting of Alex Salmond’s trial.

    The High Court in Edinburgh ruled that his coverage of the former first minister’s trial led to “jigsaw identification” of complainers who made allegations against him.

    A jury acquitted Salmond of all charges in March last year.

    This is thought to be the first time in Scottish legal history that “jigsaw identification” has led to someone being imprisoned.

    Global figures have rallied to support the former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan.

    Writer, journalist and documentary filmmaker John Pilger said: “In these dark times, Craig Murray’s truth-telling is a beacon.

    “He is owed our debt of gratitude, not the travesty of a prison sentence which, like the prosecution of Julian Assange, is a universal warning.”

    Professor Noam Chomsky said: “Craig Murray has compiled a remarkable record of courage and integrity in exposing crimes of state and working to bring them to an end.

    “He fully merits our deep respect and support for his achievements.”

    SNP MP Kenny MacAskill, Scotland’s former justice secretary, who is also a lawyer said: “This is a sad day for Scottish Justice. The idea that all problems emanate from Westminster is absurd.

  3. #3
    . Neverna's Avatar
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    He's appealing for funds for his defence - an appeal at the Supreme Court.

    Anyone want to chip in with a few satang?

  4. #4
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    So now we have Julian Assange in jail for journalism and Craig Murray in jail for journalism. Yet they have the gall to whinge about Alexander Navalny.

  5. #5
    . Neverna's Avatar
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    May 11, 2021

    I today received a prison sentence of eight months for my reporting of the defence case in the Alex Salmond trial. I have a three week stay while we apply to this same court for permission to appeal to the Supreme Court. My appeal will be based on the simple fact that I did not identify anybody. It will also be based on the right to report the defence case being denied by an extraordinary, impossibly strict application of “jigsaw identification”, and on fair process not having been observed.

    Should this court refuse permission to appeal, which seems not unlikely, I will in all probability be jailed while we apply direct to the Supreme Court for permission, which will take some months.

    I am afraid I find myself once again obliged to ask you for funding for the appeal. We have raised about £70,000 but are likely to need, at the least, double that.
    Appeal For Defence Funds - Craig Murray

    He accepts donations by Bitcoin and Ethereum, too.

  6. #6
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    Craig Murray: Blogger and former diplomat sentenced to eight months in jail for contempt of court relating to Alex Salmond trial

    A blogger and former diplomat has been sentenced to eight months in jail for “abhorrent” contempt of court over his coverage of the Alex Salmond trial.

    By Gary Flockhart
    Tuesday, 11th May 2021, 3:19 pm

    Craig Murray watched two days of the former First Minister’s trial in March 2020 from the public gallery of Edinburgh’s High Court and wrote about it on his website.

    Judges subsequently ruled that Murray, 62, a former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, was in contempt of court relating to material capable of identifying four of the women accusing Mr Salmond of sexual abuse.

    Sentencing Murray, Lady Dorrian said Murray knew there were court orders giving the women anonymity and he was “relishing” the potential disclosure of their identities.

    At the virtual sentencing, Lord Justice Clerk Lady Dorrian explained that Murray deliberately risked jigsaw identification and that revealing complainers’ identities was “abhorrent”.

    She said it was “particularly so, given the enormous publicity which the case in question attracted and continues to attract”.

    Murray’s offending blog posts and tweets were written over a period of a month and remained up, unredacted, despite the blogger being told they could potentially lead to the identification of women who had made complaints about Mr Salmond, who was eventually acquitted of all 13 charges.

    Lady Dorrian said: “It appears from the posts and articles that he was in fact relishing the task he set himself, which was essentially to allow the identities of complainers to be discerned – which he thought was in the public interest – in a way which did not attract sanction.”

    She added: “These actions create a real risk that complainers may be reluctant to come forward in future cases, particularly where the case may be high profile or likely to attract significant publicity.

    “The actions strike at the heart of the fair administration of justice.

    “Notwithstanding the previous character of the respondent and his health issues, we do not think we can dispose of this case other than by way of a sentence of imprisonment.”

    Murray was initially given 48 hours to hand himself in to a police station, but after a challenge by his lawyer Roddy Dunlop QC, this was extended to three weeks so Murray can appeal the sentence, although he has to surrender his passport.

    In his previous mitigation submission, Mr Dunlop said Murray was a man of “impeccable character” and previously “untarnished reputation”, and said it is no exaggeration to say the retired diplomat is already suffering “significant punishment” from the impact of the case.

    Mr Dunlop said sending Murray to prison would be “harsh to the point of being disproportionate”, and he urged judges to deal with the matter by way of a fine.

    He said: “Allowing that the finding of contempt has been ruled by this court to be justified, the question is whether, given all the circumstances, that justification extends yet further to countenancing imprisonment, to taking a retired diplomat with an exemplary background away from his wife, his 11-year-old son, and his baby.

    “For what purpose? The response might well be pour decourager les autres (French for to discourage others). If that is the purpose, job done. Mr Murray’s blogging is inevitably hamstrung by the ruling itself, the decision is and has been widely publicised.

    Craig Murray: Blogger and former diplomat sentenced to eight months in jail for contempt of court relating to Alex Salmond trial | The Scotsman

  7. #7
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    It's no surprise that nobody gives a tinkers fuck about a UK journalist getting thrown in jail on trumped up charges. Because his political views don't line up with the ruling regime. Oh of course he should go to jail. No different than China.

  8. #8
    last farang standing
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    There is a reason for it. It's called getting a fair trial without outside influence or interference during proceedings. After watching the circus that appears to go on in the USA with high profile cases, they could well do with a dose of commonwealth law IMHO.
    One can only shudder to think of those legal systems around the world totally devoid of the wise guiding hand of Her Royal Majesty Elizabeth II.
    God save the Queen.

  9. #9
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    Craig Murray received a fair trial in the same way as Julian Assange- which is to say, he didn't. Sure, pomp and ceremony were maintained- the apparition of due process. The poms are very good at that- but his being found Guilty was basically preordained. Two other journalists who reported on the Alex Salmond trial were considerably more blatant in pseudo identifying the complainants- and of course, their pseudo complaints ended up dismissed in full. But those journo's were not even charged.

    Another point is, for a spurious case (a political hatchet job basically) that was dismissed in full- where is the public interest in jailing a reporter, an aging Craig Murray, a man of impeccable character, no criminal record, married with a child, and formerly a rising star in the Foreign office- appointed Ambassador to Uzbek in his mid 40's? Why remove him from the street- wouldn't a Fine be more appropriate in this instance, even then based on a rather flimsy Guilty verdict?

    So the real question here is- what has Craig Murray done to upset the British Establishment, to be an ongoing thorn in their side? Why did they want him removed??


    Over to you TD CSI.
    Last edited by sabang; 13-05-2021 at 07:08 AM.

  10. #10
    Thailand Expat lom's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sabang View Post
    formerly a rising star in the Foreign office- appointed Ambassador to Uzbek
    That's some posh country to be ambassador in.

    Quote Originally Posted by sabang View Post
    So the real question here is- what has Craig Murray done to upset the British Establishment, to be an ongoing thorn in their side? Why did they want him removed??
    He should had seen it coming when they didn't post him to Japan..

  11. #11
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    ^ It is actually, when you are in your mid forties. He was indeed a FCO rising star, until he got Conscience. That ruins any diplomatic career, so he quit.

  12. #12
    Thailand Expat harrybarracuda's Avatar
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    It's funny how these attention seeking fucking losers decide to be "journalists", when they do not have a fucking clue.

    Maybe he can share a cell with Tommy Robinson.

  13. #13
    Thailand Expat VocalNeal's Avatar
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    Wanted his 15 mins of fame. Instead got 8 months

  14. #14
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by harrybarracuda View Post
    It's funny how these attention seeking fucking losers decide to be "journalists", when they do not have a fucking clue.

    Maybe he can share a cell with Tommy Robinson.
    Going against the ruling regime does seek attention indeed. No different that if he was in China. That's all. And Chinese ppl are indifferent to these attention seekers too. Just like you are.

  15. #15
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    For Chinese dissidents we have a special liking - different than for ordinary Chinese - giving them more space than they had in jail for long 80 days...

    (However, not always the space large enough...)

    ‘Germany is not an open society’: Chinese artist Ai Weiwei on leaving Berlin

    UK journalist Craig Murray jailed for 8 months-aiweiwei-jpg


    In an interview with the German daily Welt published Friday, Ai said: “Germany is not an open society. It is a society that wants to be open, but above all it protects itself. German culture is so strong that it doesn't really accept other ideas and arguments.”

    Ai, 61, added that there is “hardly any room for open debate”.

    https://www.thelocal.de/20190809/ger...eaving-berlin/

  16. #16
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Is writing in a blog called journalism these days?

  17. #17
    Hangin' Around cyrille's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    Ai, 61, added that there is “hardly any room for open debate”.

    https://www.thelocal.de/20190809/ger...eaving-berlin/
    Presumably in the interview he goes on to say 'China Rocks!! I can't wait to go back!', right?

  18. #18
    Thailand Expat VocalNeal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    Ai said: “Germany is not an open society.
    Probably open for Germans?

  19. #19
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    Buckaroo Banzai's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Backspin View Post
    So now we have Julian Assange in jail for journalism and Craig Murray in jail for journalism. Yet they have the gall to whinge about Alexander Navalny.
    He is not in jail for journalism, he is in jail for defying a court order. Do you disagree that the order was legall?

  20. #20
    Thailand Expat
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    ^ Normally, most of courts are considered as legal. However, in some cases the court decision will not be recognized as e.g. International Criminal Court is not recognized by Netanyahu (if decides against Israel).

    Then there are other cases when the court is being recognized but not the issue. No need to look at it - case closed...

  21. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by Klondyke View Post
    ^ Normally, most of courts are considered as legal. However, in some cases the court decision will not be recognized as e.g. International Criminal Court is not recognized by Netanyahu (if decides against Israel).

    Then there are other cases when the court is being recognized but not the issue. No need to look at it - case closed...
    What are you talking about? The court made an order, the order was legal with in the jurisdiction it serves. The gentlemen defied the order, and now has to pay the piper. Unless the court order is found to be unconstitutional and thus illegal by a higher court, the dude better be buying a an eight months supply of soap on a rope.
    The sooner you fall behind, the more time you have to catch up.

  22. #22
    Thailand Expat helge's Avatar
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    ^
    Don't know too much about this, but can't really disagree with you

  23. #23
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Buckaroo Banzai View Post
    He is not in jail for journalism, he is in jail for defying a court order. Do you disagree that the order was legall?
    Its nominally illegal and nobody has done time for it let alone an older person getting 8 months. Its a trumped up charge and sentence which is fine. It just means that we are no different than china

  24. #24
    Thailand Expat Saint Willy's Avatar
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    Defying a court order is illegal.
    People do and have gone to Jail for it.
    Age is irrelevant
    You’re not a Brit
    Last edited by Saint Willy; 16-05-2021 at 06:27 AM.

  25. #25
    Thailand Expat Backspin's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TheRealKW View Post
    Defing a court order is illegal.
    People do and have gone to Jail for it.
    Age is irrelevant
    You’re not a Brit
    Complete and utter fuckin effluent bile.

    First time in Scottish legal history that “jigsaw identification” has led to someone being imprisoned

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