UK High Court Grants Urgent Hearing to Huda Ammori Over Proposed Palestine Action Ban

London, July 2, 2025 – The UK High Court has granted Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, an urgent hearing to challenge the government’s proposed ban on the activist group under anti-terrorism laws. Justice Chamberlain’s ruling on June 30 at the Royal Courts of Justice allows Ammori to apply for "interim relief," which could temporarily suspend the order to proscribe the group, pending further legal proceedings.

The government’s draft order, laid before Parliament by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, seeks to designate Palestine Action as a terrorist organization under the Terrorism Act 2000. If approved, membership or support for the group would become a criminal offense, punishable by up to 14 years in prison. The urgency follows the government’s plan to pass the legislation as early as Friday, with a parliamentary vote scheduled for Wednesday.

Ammori’s legal team argues that the proposed proscription would cause "irreparable harm" to both her and the group’s supporters, stripping them of legal avenues to challenge executive decisions. They contend the speed of the process risks breaching natural justice, procedural fairness, and the right to a fair trial under Article 6 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The submission also highlights a lack of transparency, stating Ammori was not properly informed of the basis for restricting her rights or given an opportunity to respond before the decision.

Rights organizations including Amnesty International, Liberty, and the European Legal Support Centre have filed statements supporting the challenge, expressing concern that the ban could unlawfully criminalize dissent and undermine fundamental rights to free speech and protest.

A further High Court hearing is set for Friday to determine whether the government can be temporarily blocked from implementing the ban until July 21, when the court is expected to decide if a full legal challenge will proceed. Ammori emphasized the need for parliamentary scrutiny and warned that "many thousands" of supporters could be criminalized overnight if the ban is enacted without proper debate.

The case has intensified debate over the balance between national security measures and civil liberties in the UK, drawing widespread attention from legal experts, activists, and human rights advocates.