FORMER diplomat Craig Murray will today face a procedural hearing over a charge of contempt in relation to the Alex Salmond trial in what is understood to be the world’s largest virtual court sitting.
The former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan has received support from high- profile international figures and from independence supporters over the case and it is understood around 700 people have applied to watch the proceedings online.
Murray, who will be represented by QC John Scott , will “attend” the hearing at the High Court in Edinburgh from home, as will the judges Lady Dorrian, Lord Turnbull and Lord Glennie.
Earlier this month the Pink Floyd musician Rogers Waters, the linguist Noam Chomsky, the playwright Sir David Hare and the former Greek finance minister Yanis Varoufakis were among the prominent people who signed an open letter to the Lord Advocate, published in the Sunday National, backing Murray and his friend Mark Hirst, who also faces charges.
The letter expressed concern about what they claimed was “disproportionate action” and “political bias” in the case against the two men, both of whom deny the charges.
It has since been signed by thousands of supporters.
Last week the SNP MP and former Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill added his voice to the list of Murray and Hirst supporters, criticising the charges against the men as “an abuse of power”.
Salmond was acquitted at the High Court in Edinburgh in March of all 13 sexual offence charges brought against him by nine women in a two-week trial.
Speaking outside the court after the verdict, the former first minister, who had told the court that some of the charges against him were “political fabrications”, said the trial had “reinforced” his faith in Scotland’s court system.
Salmond made clear he intended to pursue those in the Scottish Government and SNP that his defence lawyers suggested had orchestrated the allegations against him.
“There was certain evidence I would like to have seen [presented] in this trial but for a variety of reasons we weren’t able to do so,” he said. “At some point that information, that fact and that evidence will see the light of day.”
However, he said the release of any such information would have to wait due to the coronavirus pandemic.
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