UN Special Rapporteurs: the UK is suppressing free speech on Palestine
JVL Introduction
Four UN Special Rapporteurs have written to the UK government raising serious – and detailed – concerns about the use of the Terrorism Act to silence dissent on Israel and Palestine. They refer, eg, to the way it has been used to suppress free speech and the wide interpretation of the term “support” and that the people they refer to “appear to have no credible connection to “terrorist” or “hostile” activity”.
We would like to think that a government, a Labour government, led by a Human Rights lawyer would, at the very least, repeal those aspects of the Act that give rise to abuse.
The details included in this article are important in helping us better understand how shoddy legislation is being used to erode out freedoms. The letter was sent on 4th December and under the special procedure the UK government had 60 days to reply but has not done so, hence going public.
But this is not only in the UK; in January Ali Abunimah was arrested in Switzerland and Richard Medhurst was raided again, this time in Austria where he has residency. The list of confiscated items ran to 19 pages. He speaks here about this nightmare and there are also links to support him.
Craig Murray has also written about the Special Rapporteurs’ letter and included a link to the full letter.
LL
This article was originally published by Skwawkbox on Thu 6 Feb 2025. Read the original here.
UN slams UK for Starmer’s war on pro-Gaza journalism and activism
Special Rapporteurs censure UK over abuse of anti-terror legislation to harass and criminalise journalists and peace activists
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As Pastor Martin Niemöller’s poetic sentiment ‘First they came for the Socialists’ points the first thing a repressive regime does is target political opponents and journalists. This is a link to a few seconds of ep#1 of ‘The World at War’ titled ‘The New Germany’. Word of warning this is probably the Nazi regime’s own footage so no sign of those opponents/critics who just mysteriously disappeared off the face of the earth and never made it to a recognised grave, much less a work camp.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gCSHKqovbR0
I just clicked on the link Gavin posted to check out the video, and there was this Owen Jones vid at the top of the recommends, posted around three hours ago (at the time of typing}, and entitled:
Trump Sanctions ICC: The US Is A ROGUE STATE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rH7tMhZqwvU
And then this was near the top of the recommends on Owen’s video page, posted three days ago, the title of which sums up the situation we – ie empaths/humanitarians/peaceniks – find ourselves in:
“Fascism Is at the Door”: Trump Threatens to Deport Pro-Palestinian International Student Protesters
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4rlMR7oyH0
As one poster said on Owen’s video page:
You know what’s interesting. Evil doesn’t hide anymore. It’s happening in front of our eyes
PS And as Craig (Murray) says at the end of his piece:
It also remains the case that there has not been one reference in UK mainstream media to the persecution of dissident journalists using terrorism laws. I don’t expect the prostitute stenographers to power to change that by covering this censure from the United Nations.
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But perish the thought that there’s a conspiracy of silence on the part of the MSM, and it’s obviously just a coincidence…. a sort of fascist coincidence.
They are losing and getting vicious. It is a sign of panic. We have to support those who have put themselves in the front line.
Support those on the frontline, and make the wretched Labour Party get in the bin.
It is worth recalling in relation to Starmer, that he was prominent in the persecution of Julian Assange. Then after lying his way to the Labour Leadership, and 80yrs after the leftist popular front against fascism, Starmer abolished free speech and free association in the Party and chased out a couple of 100k members. So, he has form.
Incidentally a word of caution in uncritically citing Owen Jones – while ‘a sinner repenteth’ is a great sentiment – it is also worth recalling he was at the forefront of the post-2014 Gaza bombing, anti-Semitism moral panics, even attacking Ken Loach and Chris Williamson. He is not known as ‘The Weathervane’ for nothing. See – “Ken Loach and other Victims of Owen Jones’ Guardian pro-Israel smears” https://labourheartlands.com/ken-loach-and-other-victims-of-owen-jones-guardian-pro-israel-smears/