Bassam Hamzy wins right to make unsupervised calls to his lawyers

One of Australia’s most notorious prisoners has single-handedly won back the right to make unsupervised calls to his lawyers. 

Bassam Hamzy, who judges called ‘articulate’, represented himself in the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal this week and unsuccessfully won the right to have restrictions on his legal phone calls overturned. 

Hamzy is awaiting trial over allegations he coordinated an illegal drug ring from prison. 

Bassam Hamzy, who judges called ‘articulate’, succeeded with his appeal to the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal to have restrictions on his legal phone calls lifted from Wednesday

Hamzy is considered an ‘extreme high risk restricted inmate’ – the highest security classification in NSW. 

Corrective Services NSW officers regularly listened in on his phone calls from prison – even including his legal team.

Hamzy represented himself in the Supreme Court opposing the surveillance, but lost. 

However, he took the matter to the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal and contended it was racist to force him to only speak English in calls, the Daily Telegraph reported. 

Chief Justice Tom Bathurst, Justice John Basten and Justice Mark Leeming ruled restrictions on his legal calls were unlawful. 

Hamzy is facing drugs charges in court next month over allegations he coordinated a drug ring

However they did not agree that him being banned from speaking languages other than English on his calls were a breach of the Racial Discrimination Act.

Hamzy, 42, is understood to fancy himself as a self-schooled lawyer and spends time in jail studying the law and preparing legal arguments.  

Hamzy was recently moved from Goulburn Supermax jail to the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Centre in Sydney in preparation for his upcoming trial.