English: Protesters rallied outside Belmarsh Prison on 22 January in solidarity with those detained, including activists angered by Julian Assange's continued detention, others demanding an end to solitary confinement and an end to the unjust law of "joint enterprise" and also to mark the international Transgender Prisoner Day of Action and Solidarity.

They included a large number who attended to demand justice for Kevan Thakrar, a prisoner at Belmarsh, who they believe was wrongly convicted of murder in 2008 under the law of 'joint enterprise.' It allows the courts to convict people of murder even though they did not take any part in any physical violence, if they are deemed to have 'encouraged or assisted' it - which might mean being a bystander or merely being a member of a group.

The protesters explained that Kevan wasn't even present when the murder occurred, but received a life sentence, despite no reliable evidence connecting him with the crime scene while evidence that Kevan was elsewhere could not be presented.

According to a leaflet entitled 'Justice for Kevan,' In 2010 Kevan was assaulted by prison staff just prior to his trial, and in March 2010 he was himself 'charged with assaulting prison officers, and put in solitary confinement but was subsequently found not guilty of the assault. Kevan has subsequently been held ever since in solitary confinement - "close supervision", locked his cell for 23 hours a day."

I hope to update this write up during the next week. Please email me at alisdare@gmail.com or comment below if you can help provide any information on this important subject, especially any regarding the subject of transgender rights and the transgender experience in prison.

You can find more information about Kevan Thakrar's case and imprisonment at www.justiceforkevan.org