NAP candidates challenge drug prohibition

[garywmeyerhoff]

The Darwin-based drug law-reform group the Network Against Prohibition is running five candidates in this months’ Northern Territory election.

 

Scott White will vie for the seat of Casuarina, Fiona Clarke – Fannie Bay, Gary Meyerhoff – Johnston, Robert Inder-Smith – Millner and Stuart Highway – Nightcliff.

 

The NAP is calling for:

 

-The repeal of drug prohibition; essentially the re-legalisation of drugs;

 

-The release of all non-violent drug offenders from the Northern Territory Correctional System;

 

-A Royal Commission into police, judicial and governmental corruption in the Northern Territory;

 

-An end to zero tolerance policing of young people;

 

-An immediate pardon for all members of the Network Against Prohibition and for associates of NAP who have been found guilty of charges relating to NAP activities; and

 

-All current charges faced by NAP members to be withdrawn immediately by the NT Police and the Department of Public Prosecutions.

 

With the exception of Fannie Bay, the NAP members are running in marginal seats.

 

For more information call the NAP team on 0415 16 2525 or see:

www.napnt.org/election2005.html

[WantDaChronic]

they are pushing it too far...sure they stand for great things like:

 

-The repeal of drug prohibition; essentially the re-legalisation of drugs;

 

-The release of all non-violent drug offenders from the Northern Territory Correctional System;

 

-A Royal Commission into police, judicial and governmental corruption in the Northern Territory;

 

-An end to zero tolerance policing of young people;

 

but then they carry on saying that

-All current charges faced by NAP members to be withdrawn immediately by the NT Police and the Department of Public Prosecutions.

what if one of their own was running the black market and importing guns, herion, etc. ? are they to be set free? im quite sure that none of them are into that kind of shit but its as if they have charges against a few members and believe if they get in power they can take those worries away, politicians IMO do not deserve special treatment...

 

but if they win, GREAT :thumbsup

[garywmeyerhoff]

they carry on saying that  what if one of their own was running the black market and importing guns, herion, etc. ? are they to be set free? im quite sure that none of them are into that kind of shit but its as if they have charges against a few members and believe if they get in power they can take those worries away, politicians IMO do not deserve special treatment...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

This is what we mean. Members of the NAP still have heaps of pending court cases. Since 2002 they have been charged with more than 100 offences between as part of an ongoing campaign of persecution and intimidation against NAP members, perpetrated by the NT Government and the police.

 

The following is a summary of outstanding court cases and dates. We appreciate having supporters at court. Please take the time to come along when you can.

 

The Parliament Invasion

 

9 NAP members ‘invaded’ the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory whilst it was in session on May 14, 2002. One person pleaded guilty at the first instance, was sentenced to two weeks’ jail but this was reduced to a good behaviour bond on appeal. See Justice Thomas’s decision at:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts/sc015.html

 

Seven people pleaded not guilty and went through a 16 day hearing in the Darwin Magistrate’s court in 2003. They were all found guilty. Five people were sentenced to between 14 and 21 months jail, suspended after 4 or 5 months. Four of those people appealed the sentence and conviction and one person appealed the sentence only. The appeal against conviction before 1 judge of the NT Supreme Court failed. Read Justice Angel’s decision here:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts/ntsc048.html

 

Three Napatistas are now appealing their conviction to the full bench of the Supreme Court and are waiting for a date for this. The appeal against the excessive sentence will not be heard until the conviction issue is resolved.

 

NAP member Scott White, who missed out on the Magistrate’s court hearing, will have a trial by jury for two weeks starting from July 18. Click here to read the latest article on Scott’s case (this has links to other articles on the parliament invasion):

http://www.napnt.org/pages/rob2.html

 

The defendants in this case were charged with breaching section 61 of the NT Criminal Code, “disturbing the legislative assembly whilst it was in session”, a charge that hasn’t been used before.

 

One person, Ema Corro, was also charged with an ‘aggravated assault’ charge and was found guilty in the NT Magistrate’s court. This conviction was recently overturned by the Supreme Court and this matter will be reheard in the Magistrate’s court. You can read the Chief Justice’s decision in this matter at:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts/ntsc023.html

 

The transcripts of the 16-day Magistrate’s court hearing are here:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts.html#parl

 

One Napatista has already served jail time as a result of this action. See:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/free_luke_masters.htm

 

In November last year, three NAP members spent two days in jail by ‘mistake’ as a result of this case. See:

http://www.napnt.org/2004/11/human-rights-...ts-falsely.html

 

The 6th smoke-in

 

On October 12, 2002, the NT police attacked our 6th community smoke-in, sparking a near riot. A number of Napatistas were arrested. Four NAP members face numerous criminal damage charges due to damage to police cars that allegedly occurred on the day. There are also charges of assault police etc. They face a trial by jury in October, and ‘back-up’ charges in the Magistrate’s court after that. NAP member Rob Inder-Smith was found guilty* in the Darwin Magistrate’s court for ‘hindering police’ at the smoke-in, however, this conviction was overturned by the Supreme Court and will be reheard in the Magistrate’s court with another magistrate. Rob has a mention of this matter at the Magistrate’s court on July 7 at 9am. At the same time, Rob, Gary, Stuart, Nicolette and Micky have a mention in the Supreme Court with regards to this matter.

 

*Click on the following link to read more about the bias of the Magistrates:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/loadmanofshit.html

 

For more information about the 6th Smoke-in see:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/Articles_28.htm

 

The transcripts of the committal hearing are available here:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts.html#6smoke

 

The occupation of Clare Martin’s office

 

On the day the ‘drug house’ laws came into effect in the NT (August 1, 2002), Napatistas occupied the electorate office of NT Chief Minister Clare Martin for approximately half an hour, sparking a typically over-the-top police response. The NAP crew were charged with ‘business invasion’ (section 226b of the NT Criminal Code). This is a new offence created by the Labor Government. NAP members were the first people charged with this offence for a previous occupation of the NT Chief Health Officer’s office (that time they were found not guilty of the offence, but guilty of the ‘backup’ charge of trespass). For occupying Clare Martin’s office four NAP members have been committed to stand trial by jury in the NT Supreme Court in October, followed by backup charges in the Magistrate’s Court.

 

Click here to read an article written by Ema Corro when the Napatistas were charged:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/US-bases.htm

 

The transcripts of the committal hearing are available here:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts.html#cmoffice

 

Bill-pasting

 

In 2003, two NAP members were arrested for sticking up posters. NAP members had already been charged with 34 counts of criminal damage for this practice but had been found not guilty in every case. This time, the police dropped the criminal damage charges and Darwin City Council issued an infringement notice. NAP member Gary Meyerhoff elected to have the matter dealt with by the Magistrate’s court and he was found guilty of the offence and put on a good behaviour bond. He appealed unsuccessfully to one judge at the NT Supreme Court* and has now appealed this matter to the full bench of the NT Supreme Court.

 

*You can read the decision of Justice Southwood here:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts/ntsc019.html

 

Permit problem

 

On Friday June 10, Gary was issued with a $50 infringement notice for not obtaining a permit for a NAP election stall in the Smith Street Mall. Gary has elected to have this matter dealt with by the courts and is waiting to be summonsed.

 

Contempt

 

In October 2002, Napatista Nicolette Burrows was found guilty of contempt of court by Magistrate Daynor Trigg. This matter is currently on appeal to the NT Supreme Court. To read more about this case see:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/Articles_30.htm

 

Some past court battles

 

The first community smoke-in.

 

Five arrested but all charges dropped. The arrests were later determined to be unlawful by the NT Ombudsman. See:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/Articles_1.htm

 

The Drug Users’ Embassy.

 

Two NAP members found guilty of “failing to comply with an instruction from an authorized officer of the Legislative Assembly (under the Legislative Assembly Security Act). One Napatista remains at large with a warrant for this case. See:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/Peoples-Embassy.htm

 

The occupation of the NT Chief Health Officer’s office

 

A number of NAP members were charged with ‘business invasion’ (section 226b of the NT Criminal Code – the first people to be charged with this new offense which carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ jail). In the Darwin Magistrate’s court, they were found not guilty of ‘business invasion’, but guilty of trespass. One Napatista remains at large with a warrant for this case. See:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/Articles_20.htm

 

And another article on this case see:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/Paper-shuffling.htm

 

The Justice Department demonstration

 

In March 2002, five NAP activists were arrested after a protest outside the Justice Department building in Mitchell Street, Darwin. Charges ranged from ‘causing substantial annoyance’, undue noise, ‘failing to cease to loiter’ etc. A number of NAP members had a hearing in the magistrate’s court and were found not guilty of all of the charges. One Napatista remains at large with a warrant for this case. See:

http://www.napnt.org/2002/08/protesters-ac...-loitering.html

 

Stay up to date

 

To stay up to date with our constantly changing court dates see:

http://www.napnt.org/diary.htm

 

Some of our court transcripts are online at:

http://www.napnt.org/pages/transcripts.html

[garywmeyerhoff]

Candidate: Release drug war prisoners

 

The Network Against Prohibition’s Millner candidate has called on other candidates in this Saturday’s Northern Territory election to commit to the immediate release of all non-violent drug offenders from the Territory’s jails.

 

Rob Inder-Smith said: “The NAP rejects the police-state approach of the two major parties.

 

“We want to see an end to drug prohibition and a moratorium on the building of any more prisons.

 

“We are also opposed to zero-tolerance policing of young people. This is a knee-jerk reaction and, like drug prohibition, will almost certainly cause more harm than it is supposed to prevent.

 

“The criminologists’ motto is ‘zero tolerance equals zero sense’.

 

“Young people are already alienated from our society.”

 

The NAP is running five candidates for the NT Legislative Assembly, three of whom are vying for marginal seats.

 

You can look at the 2005 Election campaign page on the NAP website:

http://www.napnt.org/election2005.html