The shadow justice secretary has said it is ‘sickening’ to see a London law firm argue that Hamas should no longer be designated as a terror group.
Riverway Law, an immigration and nationality firm, has posted the deproscription application online - including witness statements and academic essays. There is also video of the application being delivered to the Home Office by principal solicitor Fahad Ansari, and barristers Daniel Grütters of One Pump Court and Franck Magennis of Garden Court.
Their submissions read: ‘For more than a century, the British State has been responsible for colonisation, ethnic cleansing and apartheid in Palestine. Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyyah (the Islamic Resistance Movement or "Hamas") is an organised resistance movement that exercises the right of the Palestinian people to resist Zionism and the colonisation, occupation, apartheid and, genocide carried out in its name.
‘The continued proscription of Hamas means support for – and complicity in – the unrelenting colonisation of Palestine and crimes against humanity and acts of genocide being perpetrated by the Zionist State. That support and complicity is irreconcilable with the obligations of the British State under both international and domestic law. This deproscription application seeks to remedy that ongoing illegality.’
Hamas submits, among other things, that its proscription is contrary to the duties of the British State and is incompatible with the European Convention on Human Rights, because it unlawfully restricts the freedom of speech and assembly of those with whom the British State politically disagrees.
Robert Jenrick, shadow lord chancellor and justice secretary, posted on ‘X’: ‘Just over a year ago Hamas killed the largest number of Jewish people since the Holocaust. They still won’t return 59 hostages. Yet a UK law firm thinks there are arguments for their ban to be lifted. Sickening. It’s no surprise this firm specialises in immigration cases.’
The lawyers involved in the case have said Hamas has not paid them as it is illegal to receive funds from a group designated as a terrorist organisation. Riverway Law added on ‘X’: 'Nothing in these posts invites any individual to support, or express support for any proscribed organisation listed by the British Home Secretary under the Terrorism Act 2000.'
Chris Philp, shadow home secretary, said the claim should be dismissed, adding: 'The fact lawyers are seriously arguing our weak human rights laws could be twisted to protect murderous terrorists shows why these laws are no longer fit for purpose. Human rights laws should protect our citizens, not foreign criminals and possibly even terrorists.'
