UK Groups Condemn Pro-Palestine Activists' Convictions

A coalition of British civil society groups has issued a letter condemning the convictions of two pro-Palestine activists for violating protest conditions during a January 2025 demonstration in London. The activists, Ben Jamal, director of the Palestine Solidarity Campaign, and Chris Nineham, vice-chairman of the Stop the War Coalition, were found guilty earlier this month.

Ben Jamal and Chris Nineham were convicted following an incident at a pro-Palestine rally on January 18, 2025. During the event, they led a group to lay flowers at the BBC headquarters, which police had designated as off-limits for protesters. Video footage shows police initially allowing the group to pass before arresting Nineham.

Jamal then instructed the group to drop the flowers and return to the main demonstration. The two were charged with failing to comply with protest conditions. Jamal was also convicted of inciting others to breach those conditions.

Jamal received an 18-month conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £7,500 in prosecution costs. Nineham received a 12-month conditional discharge and the same cost payment. Both activists are appealing the convictions.

Eight organizations, including Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International, Article 19, Liberty, Friends of the Earth, Big Brother Watch, English PEN, and Greenpeace, signed the letter released on April 24, 2026. The groups stated that the convictions demonstrate restrictions on the rights to freedom of speech and assembly.

They added that the case highlights police powers to limit peaceful protests.

“Jamal and Nineham’s convictions are a testament to how far this country has swung towards adopting authoritarian approaches to protest, and the damage successive governments have done to our democratic rights to freedom of speech and assembly.”

The convictions occur amid scrutiny of the UK's handling of pro-Palestine activism, following the ban on the group Palestine Action last year. Amnesty International's annual report, released this week, noted that the UK used counterterror laws to restrict peaceful protests and referenced the January 2025 arrests leading to these convictions.

The civil society groups warned that such rulings could affect future protest efforts related to human rights.