4 days ago
Starmer's Palestine Action ban could be breaking international law, says UN
The United Nations has said Sir Keir Starmer's decision to proscribe Palestine Action could be a breach of international law.
Volker Türk, the body's human rights chief, accused the Labour government of a 'disproportionate and unnecessary' ban after the group s pray-painted an RAF aircraft red last month.
He said banning a group that does not threaten death or serious injury 'misuses the gravity and impact of terrorism' and that it could breach the right to freedom of expression for protesters.
Sir Keir's decision to proscribe Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act makes it a criminal offence to be a member of the group, express support or wear clothing that would create 'reasonable suspicion' that a person was a member.
Breaking the law carries a potential sentence of up to 14 years in prison.
More than 200 people have been arrested in connection with Palestine Action since the ban came into force on July 5, mostly at protests against the Government's policy on Palestine.
But not a single person has been charged with any terror offences, it is understood.
Police forces have arrested dozens of people over the past three weeks at protests across the country, many of whom were just holding signs saying 'We support Palestine Action'.
The row comes as Sir Keir faces a rebellion from at least four Cabinet ministers, who have either publicly or privately called for the Government to recognise Palestine as a state immediately.
The Prime Minister has said he will issue a formal recognition of Palestine at a time 'most conducive to peace,' but ministers disagree about whether that moment has already been reached.
Almost 60 MPs have written to Downing Street with the same demand to recognise the territory now.
Mr Türk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the definition of terrorist acts 'should be confined to criminal acts intended to cause death or serious injury or to the taking of hostages'.
He said: 'It misuses the gravity and impact of terrorism to expand it beyond those clear boundaries, to encompass further conduct that is already criminal under the law.'
'The decision appears disproportionate and unnecessary. It limits the rights of many people involved with and supportive of Palestine Action who have not themselves engaged in any underlying criminal activity but rather exercised their rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and association,' he said.
'As such, it appears to constitute an impermissible restriction on those rights that is at odds with the UK's obligations under international human rights law.'
The UN's statement is inconvenient for Sir Keir, who has repeatedly said he will go to great lengths to prevent the UK from breaching international law.
Lord Hermer, the Attorney General, said last month that international law 'goes absolutely to the heart' of Sir Keir's government.
He has issued legal guidance suggesting that the UK should not support strikes on Iran by the US because they may not be legal.
Both men have been criticised for their decision to abide by an advisory UN ruling on the Chagos Islands, which resulted in the territory being signed away to Mauritius earlier this year.
