A/HRC/43/51/Add.3 information on the outcome of any consultations with civil society which have taken place so far. 604. The Special Rapporteur is grateful for the response provided to his communication dated 1 February 2019, regarding the Stansted 15, a group of human rights defenders who protested against the deportation of asylum seekers from Stansted Airport. The Special Rapporteur takes note of the court’s decision to hand down suspended prison sentences or community service orders to the human rights defenders after determining that they were motivated by “genuine reasons”. While recognising Government concerns for public safety, the Rapporteur remains concerned by the disproportionality of the initial conviction, which was based on the Aviation and Maritime Security Act (ASMA), and for what appears to be the protesters’ exercise of their rights to non-violent protest and freedom of expression. He is further concerned that such charges were brought to deter others from taking similar peaceful direct action to defend human rights and in particular the rights of asylum seekers. The Special Rapporteur calls on the Government to refrain from applying ASMA and other security-related legislation as a basis for prosecuting peaceful political protesters and critics of State policy, who are legitimately exercising their right to freedom of expression. 83