Do you think Tommy Robinson's ill-treatment in jail, as revealed on social media and Breitbart, amounted to torture (see link)?

Perhaps I should have explained that he is a controversial British anti-Islamism activist. His case received a fair amount of international attention, but perhaps not much in the mainstream media.

It got no attention in British News ?

It's not a big story here.. mainly because there's no story.. there's been some reporting, namly that he has been on US platforms making claims.. .. but dont forget.. he never made these accusations here.. he went on US tv and spoke to US reporters.. you have to ask why? He hasn't filed any report for mistreatment.. and he was guilty, and had done the same thing before.. the trial was technically flawed but this man is far from an innocent lamb here.   We dont have mistreatment in prisons here.. 

Yes, I know a lot of Tommy Robinson's supporters don't care much about factual accuracy...But so far, none of the claims have been contradicted by any mainstream media source. It is true that he was transferred from a 7% to a 31% Muslim prison within a few weeks of beginning his sentence, thus putting him at far greater risk of attack. I have written to the Home Secretary to ask him for further details including why he was transferred.

I have never agreed with Tommy Robinson's methods, but the transfer decision looks like a misuse of executive power, and if the authorities can get away with doing it in this case, they may do it to legitimate political activists as well. As they said about Nazi Germany: "When they came for the communists I did not speak out because I was not a communist..." - I'm sure you know the rest.

Update: An unnamed "Prison Service spokesman" has released a statement contradicting some aspects of Robinson's account of his time in prison. But given how badly flawed the original hearing was, I wonder whether we can trust anything the authorities tell us about the case.

But it all smacks of conspiracy theory.. 31% muslim.. well that reflects quite a lot of areas here now.. [prisoners get transferred all the time.. are we to read something into every move?? And to put it into context we would need to know how many prisons have that level of muslim inmates..  as to them not denying it well why would they.. maybe they don't know that someone's writing these wacky stories.. it's like the Queen, they rarely dignify the crackpot stories that are made up about them.. to do so would be foolish and fall into the trap of responding and giving nutters that satisfaction... have we seen ANY evidence that he has been injured?

I am well aware of the saying.. and it's right.. but we need to remember that this guy tried to pervert the course of justice.. he tried to interfere with someone else's right to a fair trial. he harassed jurors and witnesses.. that is pretty serious.. maybe they messed up the trial, I don't know but if we are talking about speaking out against injustice and against wrongdoing.. this guy was both morally and legally wrong.. and he intended to cause harm to someone else.. And so yes you bet I would speak out about wrongdoing.. 

It's good you are writing.. don't forget that our right to freedom of information, the openness and transparency of OUR system is precisely why wrongdoing, beating up etc doesn't happen often here.. and this is the same reason why our mainstream news isn't crackpot conspiracy theory lies like happens eleshwere. .

Re your update.. a prison service spokesman.. who? when? is it reported in mainstream news? Was he contradicting ALL of it or just some of it? was he rejecting the main details? See you have to remember that if anything like that did happen they won't get away with it here.. they never do.. this isn't America.. there are too many checks and balances and free honest reporting.. 

Logically we have to hold onto reason too.. IF the trial was flawed, that would depend on what aspects of it were flawed and why.. remember many flaws allow guilty to get away with things.. that logically would have nothing to do with what happens in prison.. the prison service is independent of the law courts.. you know that.. I would exercise caution in jumping to conclusions in this case ... as to the authorities.. they are not an amorphous body... each and every one of them is individually accountable and we don't have conspiracy theory stuff here.. 

Id be interested in what you find out though simply because my analytical mind takes an open mind .. if anything was done wrong people will pay. 

Update.. checked the Times a paper renowned for reporting anything and everything factually... 

I would eat my hat if it were true..everyone is held accountable here.. we don't have secret services that make people disappear or silence them here.. and it's not like he has been silenced.. it smacks of fake news which we tend not to have here other than extremist publications 

Uh huh. There’s surely no corruption in The United Kingdom.

And you really aren't being sarcastic there are you.. compared to what Americans tell me no, we don't have corruption.. I make no accusations there just that your people tell me time and time again that you get biased reporting, your media is controlled by business, and people get intimidated into silence, abuse is covered up.. NOT here... it gets reported.. Things do go wrong here.. in this case there is no question that the guy did what he was accused of.. it was just that the trial was flawed because of technicalities, mistakes but we are open.. sorry if that annoys you and you can't hack that.. if something happens here we have freedom of info, we report what happens it WILL get out.. and in prison, not only is it a lot less tough and rigid here, but again people would know and it will be reported.. Everyone jumping up and down like headless chickens believing twaddle without examining the facts is not sensible. 

Sorry if you prefer to buy into the conspiracy theories so prevalent in some countries

I’m not saying the story is fake and I’m not saying The United Kingdom is a horrible corrupt place. But it amazes me how quickly you discount this as “fake news” so promptly. I never said it’s was true. I even said I want all the facts before making up my mind. How convenient you left that out. 

It’s foolish to act like you’re so informed of other counties when you don’t live there. I don’t even begin to act like I know 1/100 about other countries. I’m distrusting of media sources because there’s so many untrustworthy outlets here in the USA. 

I simply want as much information as I can obtain before jumping to consluions. I did not once say this was true. I said if it was true, it’s horrible. Try reading my original comments again. This post was edited by Rizz at August 3, 2018 4:20 PM MDT

OK my comments were based on your one sentence.. 'Uh huh. There’s surely no corruption in The United Kingdom'  it was clear, and I credit you with knowing that that comment was made in a passive aggressive sarcastic way.. that was what I addressed in my comments..

You are correct in believing that UK isn't a horrible corrupt place, to say otherwise would be factually incorrect.. People who believe otherwise can only be basing that on their own systems there and believing that everyone has the same unfairness. I am sorry for those who have those problems and many Americans say that they do.. but logic dictates that we don't all have those problems.. Corruption isn't something we tolerate here.. we have a remarkably low tolerance for it.. indeed we are vehemently against it.. fairness and justice is important here.. vital.. That's not to say that people don't try.. but we have checks to make sure it is picked up... I am glad about that.. 

As an example of how our systems are different.. look at your political system.. it's horribly corrupt.. that's not my judgement, it's based on visible fact and that your own people say so...  ours is very different.. the slightest sleaze and they get fired.. or resign.. so our systems and level of corruption are very different.. And we certainly wouldn't vote for a known liar.. 

I don't say we are perfect.. miscarriages occur but our systems checks and balances DO usually find them as they DID in this case..  This case shows the system here works and works well. 

As to fake news.. remember this is an AMERICAN story, the allegations were made to the American press and media.. media with a KNOWN and acknowledged bias... and we know, because your own prez says so, as do your people, that fake news abounds there and indeed I acknowledge you said the same.... 

So factually I was not quick to say it was fake news.. I merely acknowledged that in America you seem to suffer from that phenomenon..

However, looking at the story, as I did, and analysing it... there were very good reasons for me knowing it's fake.. I AM in the UK and I DO know the system.. so I know that certain things he claimed were not the case.. that makes it have a very high likelihood of being  fake.. AND logically once someone starts making ranting and raving claims then the likelihood is that they are fake.. WE know things like that don't happen in UK Prisons..  so it is fake.. just logic.. 

It struck me as ranting fake news from a KNOWN bias source.. but I didn't stop there.. I looked into it.. I saw immediately that where there were claims made that the UK prison system mistreated him and that they hadn't denied that.. I wanted to check that out... and I did.. and I saw that they have denied it AND offered information that contradicts it.. there WILL Be records and those will confirm the truth. 

Like you I seek facts and check logic before believing anything I read.. if it doesn't sound sane and reasonable then it's probably not.. which is why I dismissed it as fake.. If someone tells you the moon is made of green cheese would you believe it or would you know straight away it's fake?  Good to check facts, good to question as the poster of this thread IS doing.. but you need to have the judgement to be able to put those facts into context too.. like why was he moved prison, is this usual, how many prisons have similar proportions of muslim inmates, was it even factually true that the prison DID have that level of muslim inmates.. Fact checking.. This post was edited by Adaydreambeliever at August 4, 2018 2:46 AM MDT

And another one.. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6022495/Ex-EDL-leader-Tommy-Robinson-35-compares-spell-prison-Guantanamo-Bay.html  prison service denied the claims.. you felt that they hadn't denied it.. maybe you just didnt see it and as I say, maybe they didn;t even know about the wacko claims... you have to remember we live in a free society... if anything happened there will be a million cons willing to sell their story.. and here in the UK no one's gonna lean on them or stop them.. their stories will be published..

The man deserves a fair trial but this was a technicality.. that it failed on.. not like that he was innocent, just technicalities.. he has done this before and has been in prison before..  
He claims he lost weight.. he's not looking skinny...   All I call for here is common sense.. analyse don't just believe a far right story which are often known to be full of lies. 

Ahh you would be basing that just on his say so? His claims to an AMERICAN KNOWN BIASED source?? Logic comes into play here.. The justice system correctly picked up that his trial was flawed.. he'd been convicted before of the same crime and given a suspended sentence .. the justice system ruled he should be freed on bail and retried in another court - The Old Bailey in London.. No one has said he is innocent.. remember he tried to interfere with someone else getting a fair trial.. and the UK system worked properly as even HE is entitled to a fair trial.. 
WE don't have your prison system.. here everyone is accountable.. records.. information and freedom of informatio.. what happened to him in prison WILL have been recorded. WE don't tolerate abuse in prisons here and we don't have a corrupt system.. so you need to remember that our system is not yours... if those things happen there then that's awful.. but they don't happen here.. EVEN child molesters are protected while in prison here.. so it doesn't happen and where it does it's investigated and reported.. 
It's very telling he didn't report his mistreatment to the UK media.. and the UK system,, he took it to a place he knew would listen attentively and would encourage his fantasy... 

As i say if it happened not only our own system protects him but fellow inmates will report it.. we don't have intimidation here and we DO report miscarriages and mistreatment in our fair and balanced media.. 
If we look at his claims of mistreatment.. he said he lost weight.. he sure doesn't look thin... where did he get his tin of tuna from? It's not standard prison issue.. he would have been fed three meals a day.. every prisoner is.. in fact many get better food in prison than they do on the outside
You are entitled to your opinion but best to base it on facts.. not a known fake news site.. 

I am basing it on facts. He is well know anit Islam activist. (At least in UK) 
He was moved from a prison with 7% to a prison with 30% Muslim and then put in solitary for his safety. Solitary is very hard on a person mentally. If they felt he were in danger they would have moved him to a prison with a less dangerous population for him. It is also less cost to house a prisoner in general population than it is in solitary confinement.
So unless you have evidence as to the prison he was moved to did not have a higher Muslim population and he was not in solitary confinement because of it. I am only basing it on undisputed facts. 

with respect you are basing it on selected facts and it's a kind of 1 + 1 = 3.. I say that nicely.. because human nature is that that happens.. he is known to be right wing extremist.. yes we agree on that..  I have seen nothing that corroborates that he was sent to a prison with a 30% muslim population.. the original poster says that.. I have no reason to disbelieve his belief ..but as yet i haven't seen any corroboration. and I don't yet know whether there are many or most prisons with a high population of muslims.. I am not buying into extremism but what if Muslims now make up a very large percentage of the prison population in many prisons??? Perhaps muslims are more likely to commit crimes or to be found guilty.. see these factors are relevant.. we need to examine all the facts.. 
I understand that it's very common to move prisoners from the prison they are initially taken to after sentencing.. 

It's not verified fact he was put into solitary.. or it was but only or 48 hours.. so that's a  very questionable fact.. 

He claims he was mistreated.. that's not fact.. he claims he lost weight.. the evidence is that he's a little overweight.. there appear to be no injuries.. and in fact prisoners here do NOT get mistreated.. even child molestors are protected.. 
SO in actual fact there are a lot of very questionable facts...  and we shouldn't just believe it cos he said so.. we do have checks and balances here and records that can be checked.. a fact is a fact but if it is just ranted claims made by a right wing extremist blabbing to a gullible American source.. well that's not fact. 

Comparing these two picts he defiantly lost weight. 
He did file official letters of compliant to the prison while in the prison so it is not all of a sudden new out of the blue complaints. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/tommy-robinson-prison-letters-reveal-13029792

Also while percentage may not be correct. The first prison had 7% and the one he was moved 14% so it was double the population. 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/no-tommy-robinson-hasnt-been-12706229

This post was edited by my2cents at August 4, 2018 7:05 PM MDT

A little, its barely perceptible AND could well be explained by the fact in prison prisoners have access to gym equipment.. and healthier food.... but he is still if anything overweight.. and the point is NO ONE BUT NO ONE doesn't get three meals a day.. if anyone believs that then seriously they would be foolish beyond belief.. if that happens elsewhere, in countries that do mistreat prisoners but it doesn't happen here.. it can't because we, as a nation would not sympathise or tolerate that.. we are all for fairness.. even for criminals and those who tried to damage the rights of others to a fair trial..

Off to look at the links you send and will comment more after that.. 

So... the headlines say it all.. he was PARANOID. Paranoia probably reflects his rather unstable extremist perspectives.. but one displaying paranoid fears doesn't make it true.. he HAS made all kinds of claims.. but that doesn't mean they have basis.. It says he made official complaints.. this is GOOD this shows us AGAIN that the UK system works perfectly.. they ARE reported, they aren't covered up we ALL know about even claims of ill treatment.. this confirms what I have said.. mistreatment doesn't happen.. there are checks, balances, and records.. that these records have been brought to attention shows that.. WE don't have prisoners mistreated and we don't have cover up here.. 

Hr CLAIMS there was a high percentage of Muslim prisoners.. I wonder how he knew.. did he ask them all what religion they held? Did he? When he was allegedly in isolation????  Again there is, as yet, no proof that this prison had a high percentage of Muslim prisoners.. And the facts we do have prove that NO Prison has the high percentage he claimed.. so he claims are again false, merely the rantings of a paranoid extremist, who has a very narrow-minded bigoted feeling that anyone from a foreign background MUST be Muslim..a 14% population of Muslims would STILL Be a minority.. I repeat that.. a minority...  There's in fact no proof where he was sent to but it wasn't to a prison with a high population of Muslims and there is NO REASON for him to believe he was in any danger.. and no reason for him to be in isolation. FAKE claims, believed and encouraged by whiny American extremists and believed by only the gullible.. we prefer facts and reason here which is why he knew he wouldn't get anywhere by bringing his clearly false claims to UK media. 

Re the isolation... he claims he was in isolation.. that doesn't constitute proof, especially given the proven falsehood of everything else he claims... the prison service say he wasn't isolated..  and if he were again there will be records.. reports and it WILL be revealed.. there is no secrecy here.. everything is open.. 

RE spitting and excrement thrown at or into his cell.. if he were in isolation that would be impossible.. What does isolation mean again???  And logically since the majority of the prison population were not Muslim why would that happen?? Who would allow it?  Muslims and minorities face discrimination outside prison, (thankfully a bit less here than in some countries) so there's no reason to assume they wouldn't find similar discrimination inside prison.. 

He demanded enhanced privileges.. he already had luxuries such as visits etc.. I wonder if you really think that prisoners should live in the lap of luxury like they do?  He claims he lived on tins of tuna and fruit.. WHERE did he get this?? He claimed he was in isolation, so he cannot have been trotting off to the canteen to get food... so either he wasnt in isolation, or! Logic.. we shouldn't blindly believe what we read especially when it's BIASED news and Breitbart!!!! 

Your links were interesting and I welcomed the opportunity to learn more about a case I wasn't really aware of previously.. it's fascinating and I LOVE analysing reports and articles, it's what I do best but your links don't offer any facts that support Robinson... and they DO support that his claims are false and unsupported 

This post was edited by Adaydreambeliever at August 5, 2018 2:17 AM MDT