Mary and I took David out to visit John this last week.
We saw him Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, 45 minuets each visit and coming home early Friday evening.
Taking everything into consideration including recent events John still looks well and is still positive, as he says he must concentrate on living day to day alongside mass murderers, rapists and petty criminals of many nationalities, and he has no control of what happens outside so let them get on with it as they say.
One young boy we saw must only be about 12 years of age, but we do not know what he is in for.
There are now 3 of them in a 2 man concrete cell, 18ft x 6ft maximum, hot in summer freezing in winter with 2 bunk beds and a mattress on the floor for the third man, a 23 year old Algerian who is convinced the recent tragedy in Iran was USA/British bombing. A single wardrobe, table 3 chairs, fridge, toilet, washbasin not much room left and
locked up 21 hours per day
They have a Union Jack towel which they hang from the top bed which is the first thing seen when opening the door and the guards continually tell them it is not allowed.
One day they will take it off them----But until then!!!
John’s next hearing is 4th February but as the French system is GUILTY until proved INNOOCENT and the charges are IMPORTATION and TRANSPORTATION there seems very little the Lawyer can do even though there is no evidence that John was actually carrying the drugs. No photographs, fingerprints or forensic tests made, no investigations in Spain or the UK, just the word of the arresting officer and a statement in an unknown foreign language signed after 3 days of sleep, food and water deprivation.
Civil, Human Rights? Don’t ask me, they don’t come into it.
Liberté Egalité Fraternité
Liberty Equality Fraternity
This is the motto of the French judicicial system since the Revolution in 1779
They don’t know the meaning of the words.