ANTI-logging activists are concerned proposed anti-association laws may impact on their rights in protests.
The proposed laws are the result of a consolidated push by state and territory governments for the introduction of Criminal Association Control Bills.
In WA, the Criminal Organisation Bill 2012 could be passed within days.
Forest Rescue Australia (FRA) co-ordinator Simon Peterffy said he believed the bill would be passed and that it would lead to an erosion of civil liberties.
Bridgetown-based lawyer Daniel Iacopetta, who had been representing many of the arrested FRA activists, said the bill would impinge on people's basic rights.
Mr Peterffy said two FRA activists had experienced the effect of anti-association laws after being ordered as part of their bail conditions to stay away from one another by a Manjimup court - despite being in a de facto relationship.
He feared the Control Bill would not just target bikies but anybody, including human rights and environmental protesters.
Both the Liberal/Nationals coalition government and the Labor opposition will support the Control Bill, with only the Greens' Giz Watson having called for a parliamentary inquiry into the bill.
The call was rejected.
The bill has been sold by government and the police as an opportunity to crack down on what they describe as the criminal and anti-social behaviours of bikie organisations.
On April 30 a press conference was held at Perth's Ambassador Hotel co-ordinated by the United Motorcycle Council of WA.
Prior to the conference there was a two-hour consultation held for representatives of major not-for-profit organisations, affected groups and communities and a number of civil libertarians.
Unions, religious groups and Aboriginal community elders and leaders were present.
The meeting highlighted the bail conditions imposed upon the FRA activists and the possibility much worse could occur with the Control Bill.
The guest speaker at the meeting prior to the press conference was barrister Shash Nigam from the Australian Lawyers Alliance, which opposes the proposed legislation.
"It is very dangerous," he said.
"Any legislation of this type that attacks the principles of natural justice and procedural fairness must be struck down."
WA president of the Australian Lawyers Alliance Tom Percy QC said the problem with the proposed legislation was that it sought to deal with allegations in the absence of evidence, without a proper hearing and without any requirement for a judge to provide reasons for decisions and without any right to an appeal.
"This is a wholly unjust and unconstitutional approach, which breaches most of the accepted tenets of a civilised justice system," Mr Percy said.
"The South Australian and New South Wales legislation was struck down in the High Court for these reasons. The WA legislation faces the same fate."
Mr Peterffy said FRA members would always do their duty to the environment and to humankind.
"We will do it with honour, for it is the legacy we leave our children and their children," he said.
"We are committed to the forests, to the trees, to the numbats, to the cockatoos and to one another even in the face of more draconian laws and persecution."
