A coalition of leading British civil society groups has condemned the convictions of two prominent pro-Palestine leaders, accusing the United Kingdom of an “authoritarian” approach to protesters.
Ben Jamal, 62, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Chris Nineham, 63, vice-chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, were earlier this month found guilty of breaching protest guidelines during a January 2025 demonstration.
Representatives from eight organizations—including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, and freedom of expression group Article 19—said in a letter on Friday that the convictions “should alarm anyone who believes in our basic democratic human right to protest.”
The convictions come amid heightened international scrutiny of the UK’s alleged crackdown on pro-Palestine activism after last year’s ban on direct action group Palestine Action.
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UK Rights Groups Slam ‘Authoritarian’ Conviction of Pro-Palestine Activists
04/24/2026
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