French anti-globalisation activist Jose Bove was handed a four-month jail sentence by an appeals court on Tuesday for destroying genetically modified (GM) crops.
The moustachioed campaigner, who has become a cult figure within the anti-globalisation movement, was convicted of helping to uproot a field of GM maize near the south-western French city of Toulouse in July 2004.
Bove, 52, who served five weeks in jail in 2003 on similar charges, was not in court when the verdict was handed down and remained at liberty pending a possible resort to the High Court of Appeal.
In a telephone interview the activist said the new conviction would not alter his beliefs.
"Very obviously certain magistrates are determined to repress the action of the crop-destroyers. They hope that by sending me to jail they can stop the movement. "Our fight is more legitimate than ever, and it will go on. ... I am determined to continue the struggle until we have eradicated GM crops from France and from the world," he said.
Bove, a leading member of the radical Small Farmers' Confederation, stood trial in late September along with eight others, including Green party parliamentary deputy Noel Mamere and euro-deputy Gerard Onesta, who were both handed three-month suspended sentences.
The two Green deputies immediately said they would take their case to the High Court of Appeal, the Cour de Cassation.
Five other defendants were given two-month suspended sentences. The ninth, an 85-year-old farmer, was allowed to walk free on account of his age.
Bove was given a stiffer sentence because of his judicial record.
In addition to his 2003 jail term he served a month and a half in 2002 after being convicted of helping demolish a half-built McDonald's eatery in the southern town of Millau.
In all more than 200 people took part in the 2004 crop destruction, and lawyers for the defence originally wanted all to be put on trial. However the Toulouse appeals court ruled in April that only the ringleaders should be charged, and took over the case. Recently Bove has let it be known he is considering running for the French presidency in 2007.
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