Witness J

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Witness J, also known by the pseudonyms Alan Johns [1] and Prisoner 123458, [2] is a former officer of the Australian Secret Intelligence Service (ASIS) [3] [4] who was subject to a secret trial (under section 22 of the National Security Information (NSI) Act), [5] and secret imprisonment in 2018, for supposedly breaching Australian national security laws. [2] His case came to light following an Australian Federal Police raid of his jail cell seeking a memoir that he had previously received official permission to write about his experiences. This led to him bringing a claim for breach of his human rights. [2] [6] This claim was ultimately unsuccessful, but brought the case to light with the public.

Contents

Life and career

Witness J is a graduate of The Royal Military College, Duntroon and served with distinction in East Timor, Afghanistan and Iraq. [7] He was awarded an Operational Service Medal for serving alongside special forces in Afghanistan as part of Operation Okra. [8]

In 2017, Witness J was working as a civilian for an undisclosed agency 'in a South-East Asian capital'. [8]

Trial and imprisonment

On 9 June 2021 a public hearing into how section 22 of the National Security Information (NSI) Act was used to secretly convict witness J was made by The Independent National Security Legislation Monitor (INSLM) Grant Donaldson. [5] The hearing found that after having his employment terminated he used an open network to air complaints against his agency. In the course of this correspondence he had revealed classified information which could endanger the lives of others. [5] ASIO Chief Mike Burgess gave evidence during the public inquiry.

Witness J pleaded guilty to the charges and received a sentence of 15 months at Canberra's Alexander Maconochie Centre sexual offender wing, despite not being a sexual offender. [5] The secrecy of the trial has been widely condemned, with New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Anthony Whealy questioning whether Australia is becoming a totalitarian state. [9]

Witness J was released from custody in August 2019, [10] subject to regular psychological testing and an overseas travel ban. [11]

In 2023, relevant parties including the ACT Supreme Court agreed to release a redacted version of Witness J's sentencing details. The details revealed: [12] [13] [14]

Impact of case

The case sparked debate in the media about the unprecedented secrecy of the proceedings and its violation of the open justice principle underpinning Australia's legal system. [1] [15] The Australian Capital Territory's Justice Minister Shane Rattenbury was unaware of the secret prisoner until learning about him through the media even though Prisoner J had been held in the Territory's Alexander Maconochie Centre over which Rattenbury had ministerial oversight. [15] [16] The use of a wholly closed criminal trial in the matter was described as "unprecedented" by the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, with the possible exception of trials during World War I or World War II. [16]

In 2020 Witness J released the book Here There Are Dragons, based in his experiences while incarcerated in the Alexander Maconochie Centre. Profits of the book go to a mental health charity due to proceeds of crime laws. [17]

See also

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References

  1. 1 2 Knaus, Christopher (19 November 2019). "Author who tried to help mystery prisoner publish memoir hits out at secret trials". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Probyn, Andrew (5 December 2019). "Inside the secret trial that led to a secret prisoner being locked away". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  3. ↑ J, Witness. "@WitnessJ8". X. X. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  4. ↑ burnside, julian. "Witness J – Another Victim of National Security's Tightening Grip?". Julian Burnside. Julian Burnside. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 McKnight, Albert. "Details of Witness J case revealed as review told Australia has no place for secret trials". The RiotACT. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  6. ↑ Knaus, Christopher (19 November 2019). "Mystery prisoner held in Canberra jail after secret conviction was raided by AFP over memoir". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  7. ↑ "Inside the secret trial that led to a secret prisoner being locked away". www.abc.net.au. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  8. 1 2 Probyn, Andrew (9 March 2020). "Witness J surrenders war medal, accuses his former employer of failing him". ABC News. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
  9. ↑ ""You Have a Right to Know": An Interview With Witness J". Sydney Criminal Lawyers. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  10. ↑ "Why we need to know more about the secret trial of Witness J". Australian Financial Review. 6 March 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
  11. ↑ Jacobs, Genevieve. ""Witness J" on secrecy, suppression and living with sex offenders inside the AMC". The RiotACT. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
  12. ↑ "Sentencing details in secret Witness J trial may be kept hidden for 20 years, court told". The Guardian. 4 April 2023. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "Ex-intelligence officer Witness J's mother did not know he was in jail, sentencing remarks reveal". The Guardian. 19 April 2023. ISSN   0261-3077 . Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "'Grossly reckless, driven by anger': ACT Supreme Court releases Witness J sentencing remarks". ABC News. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  15. 1 2 Knaus, Christopher (22 November 2019). "ACT justice minister says even he was kept in dark over secret prisoner". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  16. 1 2 Lawson, Kirsten (4 March 2020). "Witness J case unprecedented, says national security watchdog". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
  17. ↑ "Witness J takes us inside Canberra's AMC jail in 'Here, there are Dragons'". ABC Radio National. 14 June 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2021.
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