Refugee graffiti trial adjourned again

BY JORDAN FERMANIS

The trial for Stephen Langford’s graffiti charges will enter a third instalment after being adjourned until 24 August, due to a procedural error on the part of the prosecution.

Mr Langford met with demonstrators outside court on Wednesday 27 July to again pressure government to close both offshore detention facilities on Nauru and Manus Island.

At Mr Langford’s last court appearance his lawyer persuaded the court to reduce his charges from five down to three, after Mr Langford was charged for spray painting Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s office with ‘R.I.P. Omid’. Omid Masoumali was an Iranian refugee who self-immolated in April this year.

Reflecting on the most recent adjournment, Mr Langford said he was frustrated with the slow court proceedings.

“I’m a little bit disappointed at the way police added three charges instead of replacing them, although on the bright side giving us another opportunity at a demonstration,” Mr Langford told City Hub.

Mr Langford as well as demonstrators had concerns that the media had not been reporting on events taking place on offshore detention facilities.

“I’d love people to be getting together more, deciding on action more, putting more pressure on the government, getting things really moving, it’s intolerable that it’s not getting reported,” Mr Langford added.

“There should be a human rights focus on our own misdemeanours.”