Rights groups decry 'repressive' jail term for Australian climate change activist

Many prominent Australian rights groups and climate activists have condemned the jail sentence handed to Deanna Violet Coco, a 32-year-old member of the climate activist group Fireproof Australia.

Coco was last week sentenced to 15 months in jail for blocking a single lane of traffic on the Sydney Harbour Bridge during a climate awareness protest in April, in a move that sparked global outrage and condemnation. 

More than 100 human rights groups and workers unions signed an open letter on Monday condemning the jailing of "peaceful climate activists" and demanding reform in Australia’s "repressive" judicial system.

"The vast majority of Australians across the political spectrum supports, and voted for, strong action on climate," the letter from 170 rights groups and prominent activists stated. "People should not be concerned they could risk heavy penalties simply for taking to the streets."

Coco had blocked one of eight lanes of road traffic through the main roadway by parking a rental truck on the iconic Sydney Harbor Bridge and then climbing on top of the vehicle and lighting a flare while live-streaming the protest and calling for urgent climate action.

She reportedly resisted arrest when the police arrived. The protest lasted for about 25 minutes. She plead guilty in court to the charges raised against her under new laws rushed in by the state of New South Wales specifically to prevent obstructive climate protests.

Announcing her sentence, magistrate Allison Hawkins said Coco made an “entire city suffer” with her “selfish emotional actions”.

Australian politicians on the Conservatives side, including Coco's uncle, Alister Henskens, who is a state minister, praised the court verdict for not showing leniency to the climate activist.

New South Wales Premier Dominic Perrottet said the climate protest had been an "inconvenience" for Sydneysiders and the jailing of Coco was for him "pleasing to see". “If protesters want to put our way of life at risk they should have the book thrown at them and that’s pleasing to see”, he said.

However, UN special rapporteur for human rights to peaceful assembly, Clement Voule, said he was "alarmed" that a peaceful climate protester had been handed such a disproportionate and overly harsh prison term and denial of bail before an appeal takes place in March.

“Peaceful protesters should never be criminalized or imprisoned,” Voule insisted, saying he was “disturbed” by Australia's court ruling.

#Australia - I am alarmed at #NSW court's prison term against #ClimateProtester 𝗗𝗲𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗰𝗼 and refusal to grant bail until a March 2023 appeal hearing. Peaceful protesters should never be criminalized or imprisoned.👇🏽 https://t.co/uvxN0f7Inl

— UN Special Rapporteur Freedom of Association (@cvoule) December 2, 2022

Coco’s lawyer Mark Davis will return to court on Tuesday to make an effort to overturn the harsh court ruling.

The Australian judicial system is notorious for its repressive laws. In particular, the indigenous people have suffered the most due to these laws.

Generation after generation since European colonization, the aborigines have been targeted in the laws of the country.

These laws paved the way for the natives to be subjected to mass killings, forced displacement, separation of families, and separation from their traditional lands and beliefs, to be relocated on missions and reserves in the name of family protection, integration, and European civilization.

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