There will be a peaceful protest for the #Chennai6 campaign at the High Commission of India in London Starting at around 10am on Friday 16th June. The group have been invited to join a huge number of Paratroopers in their parade for Cpl McLaughlin starting at in Whitehall Place.
The group said "This is a fantastic opportunity for us to all support each other and raise awareness"
The 6 ex-soldiers, with a combined 74 years of service, were jailed in 2013 after being detained as they protected ships from Somali pirates.
The group, along with crew including Indians, Estonians and a Ukrainian were on board a US-owned anti-piracy ship when it was detained in October 2013.
All the “Chennai Six” are being held in “horrendous’” conditions, the families say, sleeping on a concrete floor, in often sweltering heat with inadequate water, prison meals of “curried slop and rice” and poor sanitation, with toilets being a hole in the floor.
One of the jailed men is Paul Towers, 53, from Bootle, Merseyside, who spent 12 years in the Parachute Regiment before working for 20 years as a prison officer.
His wife, Ann Towers, is a former Army nurse and who now works in a prison and their son, Jordan, is also serving in the British Army infantry.
There has been a limited number of t-shirts printed specifically for the March, they will only be available to buy on the day.
You can contact the #Chennai6 facebook events page here:
Cpl Stewart McLaughlin, 27, was killed in the Falklands War in fierce fighting on Mount Longdon in 1982.
He was recommended for a gallantry medal just hours after his death by his commanding officers for his heroic efforts in saving the lives of his fellow soldiers and securing their positions on Mount Longdon during a 12-hour battle.
His family have been told his bravery was "in the vicinity of a Victoria Cross".
But the citation was lost - and the MoD has refused to grant his family a posthumous medal.
