• IT is ludicrous that the Stansted 15 have been charged with terrorist offences, and are facing potential life sentences, for taking non-violent direct action to defend human rights and prevent what they believed to be the unlawful deportation of a group of asylum-seekers, (In defence of Stansted 15, John Gulliver, October 18).

The specially-chartered flight was destined for Nigeria and Ghana, where the deportees would face persecution, torture and worse. The conflation of an entirely peaceful action, aimed at saving lives, with terrorist violence is outrageous.

Amnesty International is observing the trial and has written to the Director of the Crown Prosecution Service and the Attorney General calling for this disproportionate charge to be dropped.

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