London, MINA – The British rights organization CAGE International has filed a second legal appeal urging the British government to remove the Palestinian group Hamas from a list of proscribed terrorist organizations.
In a statement released on Tuesday, CAGE confirmed that its legal team is challenging the 2021 decision by former UK Home Secretary Priti Patel, which proscribed the entire structure of Hamas, including both its political and military wings.
Before 2021, only Hamas’ armed wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, had been blacklisted in the UK. However, Patel expanded the ban, arguing that the distinction between Hamas’ political and military branches was negligible.
The expanded designation came prior to Israel’s major assault on Gaza in October 2023, during which Hamas, the ruling party in the Gaza Strip since its 2006 election victory, has been a key actor.
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Under UK law, being a member of a proscribed organization, displaying its symbols, promoting support for it, or organizing events in its favor are criminal offenses.
CAGE argues that this sweeping ban has had a disproportionate impact on British Muslims, leading to legal action, academic penalties, and immigration consequences for individuals accused of even passive association with Hamas.
The group filed its appeal under Section 4 of the UK Terrorism Act, which allows for the removal of a proscribed organization if the designation is found to be unjustified.
“The proscription of Hamas is politically motivated and has been enforced in ways that unfairly target Muslim communities in the UK,” CAGE stated, as quoted by Middle East Eye.
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As part of the submission, CAGE presented 26 documented cases showing the real-world consequences of the ban. These include students and academics investigated or disciplined merely for sharing news content referencing Hamas.
The organization also cited clients who faced deportation threats, visa revocations, and prolonged institutional scrutiny due to alleged expressions of support for the group.
As of publication, the UK Home Office has not issued a response to media inquiries regarding the appeal.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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