“Everyone should be terrified as to where this is going.”
-Sukaina Rajwani
The mothers of two of the “Filton Four” – Palestine Action activists jailed after a break-in at an Elbit Systems site near Bristol that caused £1.2 million worth of damage – have spoken out over the use of terrorism legislation in their daughters’ cases.
In a wide-ranging interview for ‘The Real Question with Shehab Khan’, Sukaina Rajwani, mother of Fatema Zainab Rajwani, and Emma Kamio, mother of Leona Kamio, discussed their daughters’ convictions, imprisonment and the consequences of the judge’s finding that their offences had a “terrorist connection”.
Kamio was sentenced to six years in prison, while Rajwani was sentenced to five years and eight months. Both were convicted of criminal damage, rather than a terrorism offence, but a “terrorist connection” was used for sentencing purposes.
The mothers say the finding has had far-reaching consequences for their daughters, including for their imprisonment, release arrangements and restrictions following their sentences.
Amnesty International has criticised the decision, saying criminal damage had not previously been treated as terrorism within the UK justice system.
Here are the other topics Shehab discussed with Sukaina Rajwani and Emma Kamio:
The night of the action at the Elbit Systems site near Bristol
Their concerns about the trial process and restrictions on what the defendants could say in court
Their daughters’ experiences in prison and the consequences of the terrorism-related sentencing
The families’ appeal against the terrorism-related element of the sentences and their hopes for the future
Paid subscribers can watch the full interview above. Free subscribers can watch a three-minute preview.
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