Wednesday, 14th June
Relatives of the Chennai 6 will stage a peaceful protest outside the Indian High Commission in London this Friday (June 16th) – and are urging members of the public to join them.
The six ex-servicemen were held in October 2013 while working as security guards on the American-owned, anti-piracy vessel, the MV Seaman Guard Ohio.
They entered Indian waters to refuel but the local authorities accused them of not having the correct permits to carry firearms despite their paperwork, which had been issued by the UK’s Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS), being in order.
A judge ignored their pleas of innocence and in January 2016 sentenced them to five years in jail.
The men, who have 74 years’ military service between them, are: Nick Dunn, 31, of Ashington, Northumberland, a former member of 1 Para; John Armstrong, 29, of Wigton, Cumbria, a former member of 3 Para; Ray Tindall, 42, of Chester, who served with the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment and the Welsh Guards; Nicholas Simpson, 46, of Catterick, North Yorkshire, a former Sergeant Major in the 1st Battalion Yorkshire Regiment; Paul Towers, 53, of Pocklington, East Yorkshire, a former member of 1 Para; and Billy Irving, 37, of Oban, Scotland, a former member of 1 Para.
A judge has been considering an appeal for 200 days now but families, friends and supporters will this Friday be calling on the British and Indian authorities to not forget the men and to press for a verdict on their appeal.
Their UK-based lawyer Stephen Askins said: “They were armed guards backed by the international community as a successful answer to Somali piracy. Weapons go in and out of India on commercial ships all the time to protect the world’s crews from hijacking.”
“It has never been clear why the authorities took exception to these men and the courts have shown a complete misunderstanding of international law. The Chennai 6 are at the wrong end of poor judgement and a miscarriage of justice. The Indians have made their point – it is now time for the men to come home.”
The Propeller Clubs in both Liverpool and London have been supporters of the efforts to get the men back to the UK. We would urge anyone interested to get involved and add more weight to these efforts.
