UK ban on Palestine Action a ‘disturbing’ misuse of legislation, says UN rights chief

Volker Turk, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, has voiced profound apprehension regarding the United Kingdom’s decision to proscribe the group Palestine Action. He characterized the ban as a troubling misapplication of legislative powers, raising significant concerns about its implications for human rights and civil liberties. Turk stressed that such a measure appears unnecessary and could have a chilling effect on legitimate forms of protest and advocacy within the country. The UN rights chief urged the UK government to re-evaluate and subsequently lift the ban on Palestine Action, emphasizing the importance of upholding democratic freedoms, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. His statement underscored a call for states to ensure that counter-terrorism or national security legislation is not used in a manner that unduly restricts civic space or targets human rights defenders and peaceful activists.