Sentencing of Indigenous land defenders who defended Wet’suwet’en territory from megaproject set for Smithers court, October 15-17

Published by Brent Patterson on May 22, 2025May 22, 2025

On May 22, a Keepers of the Water-organized webinar on the criminalization of Indigenous land defenders in Canada was hosted by Jesse Cardinal.

The webinar featured Sleydo’ – Molly Wickham, Wing Chief of Cas Yikh, a house group of the Gidimt’en Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation; Chief Na’Moks, Hereditary Chief, Tsayu Clan, Wet’suwet’en Nation; Gwii Lok’im Gibuu – Jesse Stoeppler, Gitxsan hereditary leader and co-director of the Skeena Watershed Conservation Coalition (SWCC); Shaylynn Sampson, Gitxsan from Wilp Spookxw of the Lax Gibuu with Wet’suwet’en family ties; Erin Riley-Oettl, Manager, Human Rights Law, Campaigns And Advocacy at Amnesty International Canada; and Frances Mahon, a Vancouver-based criminal defence lawyer.

During this webinar, Mahon stated: “We are moving on to the sentencing process [for Sleydo’, Shaylynn and Corey Jayohcee Jocko], that will happen October 15th, 16th and 17th on Gidimt’en territory in Smithers, British Columbia. I really encourage anybody who is in the area or is able to travel to actually come up and to witness that.”

UN Special Rapporteur

This is a sentencing that has already garnered international attention.

When it was unclear if the sentencing would be in April, Mary Lawlor, the Dublin-based United Nations Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders, posted on social media that these “HRDs [human rights defenders] continue to be criminalised for the peaceful defence of human rights & the environment [and that she] will be closely following their sentencing.”

The UN Special Rapporteur also tagged @CanadaGeneva in her post. That’s the Permanent Mission of Canada to the World Trade Organization, United Nations & Conference on Disarmament in Geneva.

Background

On April 3, 2025, the Prince George Citizen explained: “In January 2024, [BC Supreme Court Justice Michael] Tammen found Wet’suwet’en Nation’s Molly Wickham (aka Sleydo’), Gitxsan member Shaylynn Sampson and Corey Jocko, a Mohawk from Akwesasne guilty of contempt of court” for disobeying in November 2019 a court injunction that prohibited impeding the construction of the Coastal GasLink fracked gas pipeline on Wet’suwet’en territory.

“[Then] on February 18, Tammen decided they will face reduced sentences for disobeying an injunction, but dismissed their application to stay the charges [despite ruling that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Community-Industry Response Group had] breached the Charter of Rights and Freedoms guarantee of life, liberty and security of person [during a militarized raid on November 18-19, 2021].”

“[Now after a Thursday] April 3 BC Supreme Court scheduling hearing in Smithers, Tammen said that his schedule and the time needed for pre-sentencing reports have delayed the three-day [sentencing] hearing until fall [at some point in the months of September, October or possibly as late as November].”

“[That’s because] one cannot proceed [with the sentencing of the three land defenders] prior to preparation of Gladue Reports, which analyze the history of an Indigenous defendant and how family and personal suffering contributed to their offence [and] those reports may not be done until July or August.”

The article further noted: “[Justice Tammen] adjourned the matter until April 25 for another scheduling hearing.”

That is where the October 15-17, 2025, sentencing date was set.

Prisoners of conscience designation

At the time of the February 18 ruling, the Canadian Press reported: “Tammen says that criminal contempt carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, but those convicted typically receive short sentences.”

Ana Piquer, the Mexico City-based Americas director at Amnesty International, has previously commented: “If the Canadian state decides to unjustly criminalize and confine Sleydo’, Shaylynn, and Corey, Amnesty International will not hesitate to designate them as prisoners of conscience. Canada is on the sadly long list of countries in the Americas where land defenders remain at risk for their essential work.”

On the Keepers of the Water webinar, Riley-Oettl at Amnesty International Canada reiterated: “When we are looking at the next chapter, the sentencing is in the fall. Amnesty International designated Chief Dsta’hyl as the first ever prisoner of conscience held in Canada. For Amnesty International, we will make a lot of noise and we’ll do it again. We will make a lot of noise to say it is not okay to criminalize individuals and hold them in their house or in jail, either house arrest or jail time, solely for political, religious or consciously-held beliefs or an unchangeable characteristic about themselves. They have not used violence and they are being detained and it’s unlawful. And so we hope that there is no need, but if it happens again in the fall where anyone has house arrest or jail time, then we are prepared to also declare prisoners of conscience again.”

Peace Brigades International in Geneva and Ottawa, along with PBI teams in multiple other countries, continues to follow this situation.

To watch the full webinar, click here.