Amnesty chief says UK misusing antiterrorism laws amid ban on Palestine Action
Agnes Callamard says the UK government was abusing local antiterrorism laws following their banning of Palestine Action on Sunday.
“The UK government seems more bent on abusing terrorism laws to restrict protests rather than addressing the root cause behind these actions – livestreamed genocide in Gaza,” Callamard said during a speech at Amplify, Amnesty UK’s national conference.
The UK government announced last week that it planned to ban Palestine Action under the Terrorism Act 2000 after activists from the group broke into an air force base in southern England.
The UK government is targeting protestors for speaking out for Palestinian rights.
The Secretary General of @Amnesty International, Agnes Callamard, spoke about the UK’s repressive measures at Amplify – Amnesty UK’s National Conference. pic.twitter.com/k90NlMxYXy
— Amnesty UK (@AmnestyUK) July 6, 2025
‘We have (still) not received a response’ from Israel’s FM regarding allegations: UNRWA chief
Israel’s claims about UNRWA have put its staff at risk and harmed its reputation, the agency says in a post on X.
It quotes its Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini as saying he had sent a letter to the Israeli foreign minister last month, asking for evidence, but that there had been no response.
“In my letter, I also noted that the Government of Israel has not pursued any prosecutions within its criminal justice system, which would also require the presentation of credible evidence,” he is quoted as saying.
According to a UNRWA situation report, Israeli forces killed 272 staff members in Gaza and repeatedly attacked its buildings, including schools housing displaced people.
In October, Israel’s parliament passed two bills banning UNRWA operations, including occupied East Jerusalem, after accusing about a dozen agency staff of taking part in the October 7 attacks.
The Government of Israel has continued to make claims against UNRWA's neutrality, putting our staff at risk and harming the Agency’s reputation.
“Last month, I wrote to the Foreign Minister of Israel, requesting once again information and evidence to substantiate these… pic.twitter.com/wPxrourIB4
— UNRWA (@UNRWA) July 6, 2025
