Fourteen Years in Prison for Quoting Hamas? New Law Could Criminalise JournalistsStarmer is rushing legislation through parliament that experts say threatens free speech, public interest journalism and international humanitarian aid.Sir Keir Starmer’s historically unpopular and soon-to-be-replaced administration is using its last gasps to push through a new national security law that experts believe will pose serious threats to free speech, public interest journalism and the provision of international humanitarian aid.
The new legislation, called the national security (state threats) bill, is intended to update existing national security legislation. It has been introduced by the current home secretary, Shabana Mahmood. Mahmood is widely seen as a hardliner in Starmer’s government, responsible for introducing tougher restrictions on the settlement rights of asylum seekers and immigrants. The bill has been rushed through the Commons and is now being pushed at pace through the Lords. The government wants to have the law on the statute books within weeks.
The bill consists of two parts.
The first gives the home secretary the power to designate foreign entities as being engaged in “state threat activity”, to be treated as “equivalent” to proscribed terrorist groups. The power to designate would rest entirely with the home secretary, unlike the proscription of terrorist organisations, which must be ratified by parliament.
The definition of “state threat activity” is extremely broad in UK law. It can refer to anything from sabotage to the nebulous “foreign interference”, covering any activity that threatens the UK’s “safety and interests”, or acts of “disinformation”. Together with existing legislation, the new bill will give the home secretary sweeping powers to designate entities that “interfere” with British politics undermining the “safety and interests” of the country.
The second part of the bill criminalises collaboration with designated “foreign power” groups. This, too, is broadly phrased. The bill criminalises people or groups who “support, assist and obtain material benefits”, including information, from designated groups. It also criminalises any person who arranges or addresses a meeting that “supports” or “furthers the activities” of the designated group. Conviction under the offences would carry a prison sentence ranging from 10 to 14 years, matching p
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