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Middle East Eye
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
German court rules ban preventing Palestinian surgeon from speaking is illegal
A Berlin court has ruled that a gag order preventing award-winning British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sittah from speaking in Germany is unlawful, Al Jazeera reported on Tuesday. Abu Sittah was detained and deported at Berlin Airport in April 2024 when he was on his way to give a talk at the Palestine Congress. Abu Sittah is currently Rector of the University of Glasgow.
Roya News
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Roya News
German court overturns speech ban on British-Palestinian surgeon Ghassan Abu Sitta
A German court ruled today, Tuesday, that the ban preventing British-Palestinian surgeon Dr. Ghassan Abu Sitta from speaking in Germany was unlawful. The Administrative Court of Berlin found that authorities had no legal grounds to impose the prohibition. Dr. Abu Sitta, who gained international prominence for his work in Gaza hospitals following the escalation of the genocide in October 2023, had been denied entry to Germany in April 2024 when he attempted to attend the Palestine Congress in Berlin. Authorities had alleged that he sympathized with Hamas and posed a risk of committing a criminal offense or endangering Germany's democratic order. However, the Berlin Administrative Court's decision stated there was no reasonable expectation that Dr. Abu Sitta's statements would constitute a criminal offense or threaten public safety. The court found no statements by Abu Sitta since October 7, 2023, that were of a criminal nature or indicated support for terrorist organizations. The ruling also highlighted Dr. Abu Sitta's status as a historical eyewitness whose testimony has been heard by the International Criminal Court, emphasizing that this should have been considered by German authorities alongside his right to freedom of expression.
