Disclosure Team
Ministry of Justice
102 Petty France
London
SW1H 9AJ
xxxx.xxxxxx@xxxxxxx.xxx.xx
Monika Karbowska
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
08 November 2019
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Dear Ms. Karbowska
Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Request – 191105021
Thank you for your requests received 05 November 2019 in which you asked for the
following information from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ):
We would like to draw your attention to anomalies that we found at the
Westminster Magistrate's Court Court entrance, in the hallway in front of Room
1 in the public area of Room 1 and in Consultation Room 4 .
A. On October 11th as well as on October 21st in front of the court entrance
and in front of room number 1 between 9am and 10am, a woman, who is named
"Greekemmy" or "Emmy Butlin" on Facebook and Twitter, physically
prevented members of our association and others from accessing the court
entrance and room number 1. She claimed to have the right to decide who has
the right to enter the courthouse and in the room and who has not this right,
based on a list she had established herself. When the members of our
association told her that the hearing was public, she responded with insults
and physical intimidation attempts.
Can you tell us on what legal basis does this person prevent the public from
freely attending a public hearing? What are the exact functions of this person
in the Westminster Magistrate's Court and what distinguishing marks should it
bear if it is vested with police power granted by the Court?
B. In Public Spaces in Courtroom 1 from 10:00 to 11:30 am until the end of the
hearing on Mr. Julian Paul Assange, this person, "Greekemmy" or "Emmy
Butlin", was forcing some people to provide her with their name and contact
information, telling them that she has the authority to do so.
Can you tell us according to which law a private person would have the right to
collect private data of private persons in a public court when it does not have
the authority of police and shows no distinctive sign proving this authority?
C. After the audience of Mr Julian Paul Assange some people who attended the
audience in the public area met together in the Consultation Room number 4
from 11:15:. Mr. Juan Branco, French political activist and Ms. Renata Avila,
political leader of the European Political Movement Diem25.
The consultation rooms are reserved only for the lawyers of the Court and their
clients. However, these persons are neither defense lawyers in the case of Mr.
Julian Paul Assange nor in any other case. Nor are they clients of Mr. Julian
Paul Assange's lawyers Mrs. Gareth Peirce and Mr. Mark Summers.
We would like to know under what law were these people able to hold a
meeting in a courtroom reserved for lawyers and their clients?
Your request is being handled under the FOIA.
The MoJ is required to provide you with a response within 20 working days. I will send you a
response to your request by 03 December 2019.
Yours sincerely
Knowledge Information Liaison Officer
London Regional Support Unit
2
