Geneva: UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Friday raised serious concerns over the UK Government's decision to proscribe "Palestine Action" protest group as a terrorist organization.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Turk warned that "counter-terrorism laws are being applied to conduct that is not terrorist in nature and risks hindering the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms across the UK." He noted that the UK Government's decision, which came into effect on 5 July, makes it a criminal offence to be a member of Palestine Action, to express support for the group, or even to wear clothing that may raise "reasonable suspicion" of affiliation or support. These offences are punishable by up to 14 years in prison.
Turk highlighted that UK domestic counter-terrorism legislation broadly defines terrorist acts to include 'serious damage to property'. However, according to international standards, terrorist acts should be confined to criminal acts intended to cause death or serious injury, or to the taking of hostages for the purpose of intimidating a population or compelling a government to take a certain action or not.
He added that the decision appears disproportionate and unnecessary, limiting the rights of many people involved with or supportive of Palestine Action who have not themselves engaged in any underlying criminal activity but have rather exercised their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association. Turk stated that it constitutes an impermissible restriction on those rights, conflicting with the UK's obligations under international human rights law. He stressed that conflating protected expression with acts of terrorism could have a chilling effect on the legitimate exercise of those rights.
Turk also pointed out that since the ban entered into force on 5 July, at least 200 individuals have been arrested under the UK Terrorism Act 2000, many of them during peaceful protests.
The high commissioner called on the UK Government to rescind the proscription of Palestine Action and to halt legal proceedings against those arrested under its provisions. He urged a comprehensive review of UK counter-terrorism legislation to ensure alignment with international human rights norms.
According to the statement, the UK Government added Palestine Action to its list of proscribed groups under the Terrorism Act 2000 following an incident in June in which members reportedly broke into a military airfield and spray-painted two aircraft, as well as other incidents involving property damage.