Magistrate jails NAP activist

Ema Corro, a member of the Darwin-based Network Against Prohibition (NAP), was today sentenced to 14 days imprisonment for charges arising from peaceful drug law-reform demonstrations in 2002.

Ema Corro, who now lives in Melbourne, had agreed to plead guilty to some charges after the prosecution agreed not to ask for a custodial sentence.

The magistrate sentenced Ema to jail anyway.

NAP spokesperson Gary Meyerhoff said: “People should be outraged that Ema has been incarcerated for activity that was clearly political.

“Ema’s treatment clearly demonstrates the Northern Territory Government’s mistreatment of drug law-reform activists since the NAP formed in March 2002.

“It is well known that some local magistrate’s are biased against NAP members; they hate them.

“We have already won two appeals on this basis.”

More NAP members face court next week, with a trial in the Supreme Court over a 15-minute occupation of Chief Minister Clare Martin’s office. The NAP members have been charged with ‘business invasion’, an offence with a maximum penalty of seven years.

For more information call Gary on 0434 393 008 (+61 434 393 008 from overseas), the Berrimah Correctional Facility on (08) 8922 0111 (+61 8 8922 0111) or check out the NAP website.

To read more about the bias of the Darwin Magistracy, click here.