Five climate activists from the Just Stop Oil campaign, known as the 'Whole Truth Five,' have been sentenced to up to five years in prison for orchestrating disruptive protests on London's M25 motorway in November 2022.

Founder Roger Hallam received the longest sentence of five years, with the protest aiming to end oil and coal extraction in the UK by 2030.

The activists were convicted of conspiracy to cause public nuisance, raising concerns over the lack of legal defenses allowed during the trial and potential implications for human rights and protest laws in the UK.

The severity of the sentences has sparked outrage among environmental agencies and scientists, with the UN Special Rapporteur for Environmental Defenders warning that the punishments could violate international law and suppress future protests.

The judge criticized the activists for their disruptive tactics, including vandalism of cultural sites and interrupting sporting events, which led to significant disruption and one police officer being injured.

Just Stop Oil condemned the sentences as an 'obscene perversion of justice,' marking the harshest punishment for a peaceful protest in England.