FREE The #Chennai6

Over the years you may have read my blogs about my friend John who has been wrongly imprisoned in India. His ordeal started back in 2013 when he, along with 35 other crew members were arrested and imprisoned for fire arms offences whilst serving as anti piracy guards off the India coast.

After 6 months in Jail the case against them was dropped when it was proven the men did have all the correct paper work and no offences had been committed. However, the India authorities refused to give them back their passports leaving the men stranded in India unable to return home. During this time the India Police appealed the decision to release the men and in July 2015 their appeal was successful and the men faced Trial.

Everything seemed to be going well at the trial held in January of this year. With the evidence, proving the men had committed no offences. So we were absolutely stunned and horrified when the judge ignored this evidence and sentenced the men to five years hard labour!

Since that time the men have been languishing in Jail waiting for an appeal decision. It now over 200 days since the appeal was logged and yet we are still waiting.

There are five other British men being held with John and all are ex-servicemen who served our country faithfully.

In June we staged a peaceful protest outside the India Embassy in London to bring attention to the campaign. We had a great turn out and it was a privilege to march along side members of the parachute regiment as well as the men’s families.

We had the paper work with us which again proved the men’s innocents but the Embassy refused to take it.

I don’t think our government has done nearly enough in the past four years but it seems since the protest things are starting to move in the right direction. It was reported that Teresa May bobrought up the issue with the India prime minister Narendra Modi at the recent G20 summit. She called for a swift decision on the appeal and just hours later Boris Johnson came under pressure from ministers in the house of commons to “make a deal”

John had a milestone birthday turning 30 this week. He received hundreds of letters, cards and messages which gave him great comfort but it’s still devasting he had to spend it still looked up in Jail.

The effect this is having on not just the men but their families is truly heart breaking and everyone is praying this nightmare will come to an end soon.

This is a great video from the men’s solicitor Stephen Askins explaining the men’s plight.

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