Update on Imprisioned English Horserider

[PeterNatt]

As I believe you know, the appeal trial of the imprisoned equestrian traveller, Daniel Robinson, will be held tomorrow in Hardwar, India.
No one knows what might happen at the trial tomorrow?
The court might release the fellow, order him to complete his initial one year prison term, or compound his grief by adding several more years to the sentence.

While that decision is yet to be made, what I do realize is that the case of Daniel Robinson has created a wave of unprecedented international equestrian cooperation among the Long Riders and their friends worldwide.

When the North American Long Rider Bernice Ende, who is currrently out on the road making a 5,000 mile journey, learned of the Robinson affair she emailed Guild HQ to say, "I am beginning to understand and feel the common thread, the kindred spirit, that runs through the veins of all the Long Riders."

And it is in relation to this idea of a "common thread" that I am writing to you now.

While I appreciate all that you have done on behalf of Daniel and his family, I thought you would like to know that during the course of the last two weeks Long Riders, and Friends of The Guild, from Afghanistan, America, Australia, Austria, Chile, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, India, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa, Switzerland and Wales have:

nominated Daniel to be a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society -

helped organize Daniel's legal defence in India -

provided numerous equestrian and exploration related documents to Daniel's legal team -

volunteered to fly to India to assist Daniel at personal expense -

offered to put up the bail to release Daniel -

sent messages of personal support to Daniel's mother and family -

provided information to the British Horse Society so it could issue a strong political statement in support of Daniel -

arranged for a news story to be published on the spot in London's leading equestrian magazine -

orchestrated the publication of Daniel's story in the Czech Republic -

given a live interview about Daniel's plight to the BBC nightly news television show -

provided information to an English photo-journalist willing to cover the appeal trial in India -

helped increase the website petition signers from 800 to 1700 -

enlisted the aid of India's most powerful equestrian conservation movement -

coordinated an equestrian rescue effort designed to find and care for Daniel's horses -

attempted to recruit India's most famous actor to our cause -

negotiated with the leaders of the London Hindu community -

obtained information from the British Foreign Office regarding Daniel's legal rights -

written letters to the Indian Prime Minister, the Indian High Commissioner and the British High Commissioner appealing for Daniel's release -

obtained letters from BHS President Noel Edmonds, International Equestrian Francesca Kelly, Equestrian Journalist Tom Moates and Equestrian Jason Wentworth wherein they called upon the President of India and the Indian Ambassador to the United States to release Daniel.

In terms of the appeal trial, I suggest that you check the Free Dan website tomorrow to find out what the outcome is.
( www.freedan.co.uk )

But I wish to leave you with this final thought.

Basha is fond of saying that "the best passport in the world is a horse."
As Daniel Robinson's case proves, Long Riders and their friends are part of an unprecedented equestrian brotherhood, one that demonstrates that no equestrian explorer rides alone or unaided in this exciting new century.

So many, many thanks for the time and effort you have poured into helping this young man and his family.

 

[wattsy]

thank you Peter Natt for this post - Daniels' story is incredible. He could be the son or brother of any one of us - I have written to the authorities using the letter from the website.

 

[FREESTYLER]

ok, I must admit I have not heard of his story

, what did he do wrong to get imprisoned???

 

[Gingernags]

Has anyone read in the Press Only section the stuff about the horses?

I feel for his plight and agree with the fight to release him - but is anyone else concerned at what the horses have been put through? It has tempered my sympathies somewhat that you'd treat horses this way and put them through what he has been - ie the not getting water and feed for 2 days, having terrible wounds from carrying equipment, nearly losing them in a river, nearly losing one crossing the mountains (as in it nearly died). And one is in foal!!

I'd not put my horses through that or put them at so much risk.