Displaying items by tag: terrorism charges

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed that 67 people have been charged under section 13 of the Terrorism Act for allegedly showing support for Palestine Action, a proscribed organisation. Those charged, aged between 21 and 83, were arrested during central London protests on 5 and 12 July. They face a maximum sentence of six months’ imprisonment and are due to appear for trial in September and October. Since the group’s proscription on 5 July, more than 700 arrests have been made nationwide. Critics argue the ban infringes free speech, but Yvette Cooper  insists Palestine Action has been responsible for serious crimes, including aggravated burglary and violent disorder. Commander Dominic Murphy rejected claims that protests had stretched police resources, stressing that law enforcement remained robust. The group has been granted permission to challenge the ban in the High Court in November, setting up a legal battle over the boundaries between protest and terrorism.

Selahattin Demirtas stood against President al-Sisi in the last election before he was arrested on terrorism charges. He is still there along with thousands of other ‘terrorists’. Businessman Mohamed Ali accuses al-Sisi of wasting public funds on vanity projects despite widespread poverty. The former military contractor, living in self-imposed exile in Spain, has called for a ‘million-man march’ to topple al-Sisi in a video that has gone viral. Demonstrators have been responding to Ali’s call that ‘all squares are Tahrir Squares’. On 25 September Egyptian authorities arrested 1,100 people, including several high-profile individuals. Two days later, they arrested a further 2,000 nationwide but acknowledged only 1,000. News and political websites are now blocked, and the internet services that protesters relied on to communicate and document government abuses are interrupted. Security forces have deployed armed masked men and riot police to prevent further challenges to the regime, at least for now. See