This blog will be going dark for a few months. The Queen kindly paid for my dinners for over twenty years while I was a British diplomat and Ambassador, and now she is going to be paying for my dinners again. That is very kind, I thought she had forgotten me.
The following is a statement from Nadira:
29.07.21
Today is the most heartbreaking day. My husband whose health has been found to not be suitable for prison must hand himself in for detention within hours following the UK Supreme Court’s decision not to hear his appeal.We were extremely hopeful that the Supreme Court would hear his case and had no doubt that this particular case should have been heard given how important and relevant it is in the context of Freedom of Speech in the UK. Instead, the Supreme Court declined to hear it.
Yet again my heart is deeply saddened to find that the UK, once a country which placed great importance on Human Rights issues, has failed to listen to my husband’s case. Additionally, the Scottish Court outright dismissed Craig’s poor health, having been made aware through the mandatory Social Work report and doctor’s reports that his wellbeing would be at risk if forced to go to jail.
At first I tried to come to terms of him being jailed in the hope he would be granted dignified conditions in jail but I am saddened and shocked to learn he could be placed among criminals, with no ability to bring books or enable him to write, with no entertainment allowed. He is being treated like a criminal. This is not a just punishment, this is a deliberate attempt to break the spirit of anyone brave enough to make use of free speech.
Given a pen and paper what do you do? You write in your own voice speaking the truth. Having been with Craig for two decades he has always spent his time and energy highlighting injustices and standing up for what is right, carefully, considerately and consistently.
I was brought up during Soviet times, and post independence in my own country, Uzbekistan. I have witnessed and personally experienced myself what the price of freedom of speech truly is. Opponents were ‘disappeared’ or it was claimed they had ‘taken their own life’, or been locked away in asylums. I am filled with fear this pattern is now repeating itself in the UK. It is appalling to see Craig is going through the same treatment in the so-called ‘human rights’ respecting country UK.
This is an attack on Truthtellers. His writings are those of a highly qualified Journalist, Human Rights Activist, former Rector of Dundee University and former British Ambassador. To us, his family, this situation is devastating: I am now left with my 5 months old baby, yet to find a good way to explain Craig’s jail sentence to his confused and anxious 12 year old son.
Of any readers concerned with the loss of freedom of speech and equality before the law I ask that you show active and outspoken solidarity with my partner.
A Craig Murray Justice Campaign has been formed which I hope you can support. Find them on twitter @cmurrayjustice . Their website will be up shortly and details will be posted on this site.
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I am well aware that the last few weeks I have posted very little, because the constant worry of having a jail sentence hanging imminently over my head, which became very oppressive. For the last several Friday afternoons I was watching the clock until the time came when I was confident no warrant would come and I could have another weekend with my children.
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In Northern Ireland, in the late 1960s, did such corrupt and subversive internments result, quite naturally whenever politically incorrect, in decades of despicable Troubles, which the state in the end had to concede was a bridge too far to battle for, and the war and all honours sought were forever lost.
But then, as every man and his dog know, simple lessons from history are never learned by those in charge of a rotten to the core system and thus are similar events more likely to be repeated than not, although that is not to say that the aggrieved have not learned that costing the system countless billions is much more effective than taking innocent lives.
Craig wishing you a safe trip and a speedy return.
Hope you find some light in there despite all.
You are not alone in spirit xxxx
There will be so many people with you in spirit tomorrow..and during all the time you are in the prison. It seems ridiculous that you are having to go through this. We will be counting the days with you and your family until your return home.
Like the insouciance Craig. ;O)
Craig,
I will continue to subscribe to your blog.
Looking forward to your return.
Me too.
This is a dark, dark day for Britain, I fear just one of many still to come. Sadly Britain is not alone in this, its neighbouring western Island is following close on its heels with our mainstream media now almost totally bereft of Journalists deserving of that job description, now mere Copy and Paste experts, allowing minimal space for those who would challenge the group think consensus
What worries me more is the utter lack of coverage or outrage in the conventional media who seem to have buried the story, especially given its rarity and significance. Briefly mentioned on the BBC (omitting anything about its significance) only available by searching (cannot even find on the site via menu link) and ignored most elsewhere it really does paint a dark and disturbing picture of the mainstream media.
Have courage Craig! Please tell us where they send you to. I want to keep tabs on the bastards.
From an old fellow regular of the “Ragu”, “Juliano’s”, “Sky”, “Diplomat” and other assorted places.
You put your finger on to the pressure point Durak, the obfuscation and silencing of reality continues.
Today I spent 3hrs in the centre of Norwich, with XRs drummers and a few speakers against the police crime and courts sentencing bill.
Thete were about 100 people in attendance and I had the opportunity to inform them of the news that an ex diplomat, Ambassador and journalist will go to jail tomorrow on an eight month charge of contempt of court. For the first.time in 60 years.
I further asked for the home office minister Mrs Patel to be sacked for she has lost the confidence of police officers, followed by widespread jeers and claps in support.
This Government is scared about loosing control over the public. They are worried that we find a unit, a la France, that will sweep them away.
putting journalists like Julian Assange, Craig Murray and Mark Hirst behind bars can be kept quiet, but anything on the scale of a general strike with a national march a la Jarrow could not be controlled.
This bill will end the base of democracy, free speech and the right to protest peacefully, it is a fascist embryo upheld and cajoled through both Houses, past a clapping opposition wanting to look harder than granite and failing abysmally.
I wish I could sit out the sentence for Craig, for the sake of his young family, it is a dastard judge that has torn them apart and his children will miss him dearly, as will Nadira and his family.
I very much hope that people here have managed to inform lots of others and that they will gather at St. Leonards police station for a rousing send off/ silent support.
Many people abroad will ask themselves what is happening to a country they once valued as an example, the mask has slipped and is showing up the ugly colonial puppet masters and gatekeepers for what they are and who they serve.
“the mask has slipped” but was it just a piece of cloth or perhaps a triple layer surgical mask (not recommended for non-surgical use) or perhaps PP2?
Are they aware that they are now exposing themselves to the burgeoning onslaught of the variants??
First they came for . . .
I’m Doubling my Fee to Craig…Saw your post..See You Next Time yous are Up here x
Shoo! to put it politely.
If you can’t smell the gas I suggest you get some new nostrils.
Then again you Tories or ultra lefts can’t smell the bullshit and no matter what you think of Craig you will of thought of Corby.
Summed up as : @ you made me vote for Boris/Brexit.
Away to your Gallowayland.
If they come to Dorset to collect me I’ll happilly do it for you……………….
Hugh Chubb-Tyke
The chancellor is socialising his losses, having captured millions into Universal Credit and forcing those on Working Tax Credit to pay back the benefit that he froze.
Craig lives in a hotel, as did my grand-mother for many years. The Hospitality industry is almost dead on its knees. You put forward a very curious idea indeed, that losses on a business enterprise can not be recouped by the business in future years. Obviously you’re not a businessman, just like poking your nose in other people’s business.
I thought might meet Baby at Doune..Nadira And Craig All beaming.. .. Then we have Canceled…
Come back Stronger Craig.
I’m Sick For Scotland Right Now..
Nicola
Typical of any state to decide that more convictions should come from less justice. The corollary is that the boss class and its cronies are immune from any punishment, draconian or not. Things like this don’t happen in democracies…. Good luck Craig, hope it’s all over by Xmas.
one word. Huckensack….
A sad but unquestionably proud day for Craig and his family but shameful for our country, the Supreme Court in particular.
I see that on the 7th April 2018 concerning the Skripal case I commented on your site: —
“Dear Craig,
If there was any justice you would get some sort of journalistic award for your series of articles on Skripal and that is what worries me. I do hope you will be very careful because if there is a list you are very definitely on it and they have no honour and no scruples. They will smear you if they can. You have committed the unpardonable crime of making our rulers look stupid and dishonest. As a semi-retired journalist living near Strasbourg I watch events in the UK with fascinated horror. True things are not much better here. Not because of Brexit of which I approve but because of this obsession with groveling to the US and doing whatever they want regardless.”
That is what this is about. The neo-cons and their UK groupies wanted revenge and to frighten others. The Salmond case was their proximate opportunity.
Take it easy. Prison is no joke but I would like to think that the certainly the prisoners and hopefully the prison governors and officers will treat you kindly.
“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”
– even if you don’t believe in him (her?).
The evil that the State enacts is evil indeed. The treatment by the State of journalists (of integrity) is a warning sign. Snowden, Assange, Hale, Murray. How many more need to be incarcerated before we realise what is really going on here?
The British state is a quasi fascist state, all truth tellers will be incarcerated or disappear. The British state stole our nationhood our pride and now freedom of good people. Instead they support racists in farage and bigots like the orange order. Disgusting and hopefully the people will see the other side of this dictatorship and the truth trials and national mourning to come.
“Chilling” does not begin to describe what we have here, ‘we’ being all formerly ‘free’ (in notion) citizens/actors of a certain chronology—say those of us born near the middle part of the 20th century following the (I wince) ‘greatest’ of wars, WW II.
Nonetheless, although thrust upon our forefathers by, and from the same successive ‘Owners’ propagating contemporary conflicts-for-profit, today’s descendants of privilege who harry Craig and his like-minded fellows of conscience are the the guilty, if guilt is to be assessed on anyone in this travesty.
What these arrogant kleptocratic actors are doing here is pushing the limits of how much they believe they can get away with that is antithetical to normative standards of justice and prosecution within the framework of a representative democracy.
They are asserting, ever-testing their ultimate power—having already by incrementalism perverted justice’s precepts. They are awaiting the pushback of their usurpations. Where my fellows, beyond the courageous and stellar efforts of Craig, Julian, and the like, is it? As this darkness continues to descend.
“… Where my fellows, beyond the courageous and stellar efforts of Craig, Julian, and the like, is it?”
The pushback. The OUTRAGE! The unbridled righteous RAGE!