UN experts intervene due to hard detention conditions in the case of Palestine Action

Four special raps of the UN have written toward United Kingdom The Government will raise concerns about the misuse of anti -terrorism measures to attack the activists of the Palestine (PA) action and impose more hard detention conditions.

The letter refers to the “filton 18” – activists who are currently held in preventive detention after being arrested for terrorism charges in relation to An action in August 2024When six activists led a modified truck at the Research and Development Center of the Israeli weapons company based in the United Kingdom, Elbit Systems, in Filton, Bristol.

The activists dismantled the weapons, including the Quadcopter drones models deployed by Israel in their war against Gaza, causing £ 1m damage ($ 1.24 million).

The six activists were arrested at the scene for violent disorder and assault and were initially arrested for 24 hours at the police stations in Bristol under the police law and criminal evidence of 1984, with their arrests extended for 12 hours under the same law.

When the arrest orders expired, the activists were arrested for a different crime Under the 2006 terrorism law – Preparation of an act of terrorism or assistance to commit terrorism, which allows your detention to last for another week.

According to the terrorism law, the police can detain the protesters without charge for up to seven days, with the possibility of extending the arrest for 14 additional days.

Another 12 activists were rounded in relation to the action of the anti -terrorism police in two waves of raids, all were arrested under section five of the terrorism law. The letter pointed out that one of those arrested, Ian Sanders, was arrested at gunpoint.

During the raids, the houses and the property of the activists were damaged, while some of their loved ones were subjected to police violence.

The mother of activist Leona Kamio, Emma Kamio, was Arrested under the terrorism law and celebrated incommunicado for five days. Kamio informed that a lawyer was denied during the first two days of his arrest and that they stopped in a dirty cell with the lights left throughout the night.

‘Terrorist connection’

Although they now face charges not related to terror, including aggravated robbery and criminal damage, the 18 are detained under “counter -terror” powers until their trial in November.

The period of your detention is above Custody time limits prior to the standard judgment of the United Kingdom For the crown crown, which is 182 days.

While the defendants were not accused under the Terrorism Law, the Crown Prosecutor’s Office (CPS) said in a press release that would argue in court that crimes have a “terrorist connection”, which could aggravate your sentences.

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The relatives welcomed the fact that terrorism charges had retired, but expressed concern about the initial “unjustified use” of anti -terrorist laws to attack activists.

He said that property damage did not comply with the international threshold for terrorism and that there was no “credible connection” between the behavior of activists and terrorism.

He added that the use of the “ordinary criminal law would achieve a more appropriate balance between the rights of the individual and the interests of national security.”

The rapporteurs also expressed alarm for the detention conditions faced by activists, informing that some faced daily interrogations during detention, causing “significant deterioration in their mental health.”

They also informed that activists were denied contact with the outside world for a significant period, and some forbidden by access to legal advice during the first 36 hours of their detention.

He Police and Criminal Evidence Law (1984) It stipulates that detainees are allowed an initial phone call, although this right can be delayed under the Terrorism Law.

The rapportic said that the arrest of incommunicado could constitute “forced disappearance.”

‘Restricted state’

The relatives pointed out that the initial terrorism positions and the “terrorist connection” in their crimes meant that activists were classified as high security prisoners with “restricted status”, which means that their mail correspondence is monitored and restricted.

A Palestine Action spokesman Previously they told Middle East Eye that some detainees were being retained “Restricted state for women”An “additional security measure” that can be imposed on prisoners “whose escape could present a risk of serious damage to the public.”

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According to the letter, “non -association orders” have been imposed on the activists held at HMP Bronzefield, resulting in restrictions on family visits and causes them to attend judicial hearings.

Palestine Action has also reported that some of the detainees were transferred to different prisons without their families being notified.

On December 19, Palestine Action published in X that The Kamio Leone Family They were told not to visit her during Christmas, since she had been transferred from HMS Bronzefield, but the staff could not tell them where they had transferred it.

The letter also reported that some activists have faced barriers to practice religious or cultural rights, with an activist, Fatima Rajwani, informing that his head scarf was eliminated by force during his arrest.

According to reports, other activists had problems accessing detention medication.

A detainee, Zoe Rogers, informed that his medicine was lost during his transfer of the police station to the remunity installation.

The letter pointed out that “the significant delay in the replacement of the medication caused painful withdrawal symptoms,” added that repeated delays to the dispensation of the medication had led her to stop taking it completely.

‘The right to protest is not absolute’

The UN Panel demanded that the United Kingdom government “explain the factual and legal reasons that justify the alleged arrest and detention of activists under anti -terrorist laws.”

In addition, he asked if the definition of terrorism in the United Kingdom Law will be modified to “exclude acts of defense, dissent, protest or industrial action”, and to describe the measures taken to safeguard the rights of activists in detention and their right To a fair trial.

‘Neither the right to freedom of expression nor the right to protest is absolute’

– British government

In response, the United Kingdom Government said that, beyond the publicly available information about the circumstances of the arrests and arrests of filton 18, “it would not be appropriate for the United Kingdom government to make more comments, particularly when the criminal procedures are ongoing “.

He added that the police, the CPS and the courts are independent of the government and that “it is vital that these institutions can carry out their duties and make decisions, free of political influence, including the influence of international government organizations.”

In response to the question of UN experts about the reform of anti -terrorist laws, the government spokesman said: “The United Kingdom has a comprehensive legislative framework against terrorism that achieves the correct balance between protecting national security and freedoms individual.

“However … neither the right to freedom of expression nor the right to protest is absolute,” he added.