TOMMY Sheridan's lawyer has accused prison authorities of trying to "gag" the former MSP on his release from prison.
Aamer Anwar claims the disgraced former Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) leader has told him that he will be banned from speaking in public when he is released from Castle Huntly prison on Monday.
Anwar said that under the ban, his client could be recalled to prison if he speaks out in the six months following his release.
The lawyer said: "It's unprecedented, absolutely draconian and denies my client the right to earn a living.
"When Tommy Sheridan is released he will be hounded by certain sections of the media.
"If, over a period of six months, he was to slip or respond and that was to appear in the papers then he could be recalled to prison."
The solicitor added that Sheridan plans to challenge any gagging order in the courts and asked how his client could return to a normal life and re-engage in politics if he is not allowed to speak in public.
However, the Scottish Prison Service said it could not confirm or deny the allegations and would not comment on individual cases.
Sheridan was jailed on January 26 last year after being found guilty of committing perjury in his defamation action against the News Of The World in 2006.
He has served just over one-third of his three-year service.
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