Latest news with #FahadAnsari
Telegraph
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Telegraph
British lawyers for Hamas investigated by watchdog
The law firm trying to remove Hamas from the UK's list of proscribed terrorist groups is being investigated by a solicitors' watchdog, The Telegraph understands. Riverway Law made headlines in April when it launched an appeal to have Hamas taken off Britain's list of proscribed groups. The firm made a submission to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, arguing that Hamas posed 'no threat to the UK people' and should be allowed to operate here on free speech grounds. Just days after submitting its appeal to the Home Office, the firm was reported to the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) by Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary. Mr Jenrick argued that Riverway's appeal potentially breached UK sanctions rules on terror groups. He also drew attention to apparent social media posts about the war in Gaza by Fahad Ansari, the leading lawyer in the case and the director of Riverway. The posts included claims that Hamas is a 'legitimate resistance movement' protecting Palestinians from 'UK-sponsored Israeli genocide'. A good reminder that in the majority of the world, Hamas is not a banned group but is viewed as a legitimate resistance movement fighting for liberation against a genocidal apartheid state occupying Palestinian land. — Fahad Ansari 🇵🇸 (Stop the Gaza genocide) (@fahadansari) December 6, 2023 The SRA is understood to be at an early phase of its investigation and no conclusions have yet been reached. In a letter to the watchdog sent in April, Mr Jenrick said there was 'a clear need to uphold public confidence in the legal profession and to ensure rigorous enforcement of the UK sanctions regime'. He said that there were 'significant questions as to whether Riverway have complied with their obligations under the UK sanctions regime, the SRA's own published guidance and broader professional standards expected of solicitors'. Mr Ansari has defended his firm's actions. In response to Mr Jenrick's complaint he said: 'We were in contact with OFSI [the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation], external counsel and others who had represented sanctioned organisation[s], to ensure that we did not breach our duties under the sanctions regime.' Riverway submitted a 106-page application to the Home Office in April, accompanied by a video which was posted to its social media channels. Today, our legal team submitted the application to the Home office to remove Hamas from the banned list of organisations under UK Counter terrorism powers You can read the full legal application here: — Riverway Law (@riverwaylaw) April 9, 2025 The application argued the proscription of Hamas in the UK should be lifted in line with European Convention of Human Rights protections in the interest of freedom of speech. It also claimed the ban is disproportionate and that Hamas poses 'no threat to the UK people'. The ongoing appeal, believed to be the first of its kind, is being fronted by Mousa Abu Marzouk, Hamas's head of international relations and its legal office. Mr Jenrick welcomed the SRA's investigation on Saturday, telling The Telegraph: 'Our sanctions regime is pointless if it isn't enforced. 'Ansari is a shameless apologist who argues Hamas poses no threat to the British people. What nonsense. This evil death cult threatens free people everywhere.' Mr Ansari has previously appeared to make a series of controversial social media posts related to the ongoing Israel-Gaza war. In posts dating from last year he appeared to praise fighters of the 'courageous Palestinian mujahideen', wrote 'you should view Hamas as an army of angels' and dismissed international courts as 'hopeless', saying that 'only armed resistance' would help Palestinians. In April last year, a post on his X account said: 'Eid Mubarak to everyone celebrating especially the courageous Palestinian mujahideen who continue to resist the Western-backed Israeli genocide entirely on their own. You are the pride of this Ummah. May you celebrate Eid one day in a fully liberated Palestine.'
Middle East Eye
17-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Lawyers accuse Robert Jenrick of endangering staff over Hamas case remarks
Lawyers representing Hamas have accused former minister Robert Jenrick of endangering their staff after claiming they show "sympathy for terrorists" by representing the Palestinian group. Riverway Law, the firm handling a legal application to deproscribe Hamas in the UK, has written to Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood urging her to condemn Jenrick's remarks. In the letter, solicitor Fahad Ansari argued that the former immigration minister's comments were not only inflammatory but could also put him and other lawyers representing Hamas in danger. "Mr Jenrick has had recent form for attacking not just lawyers, but independent judges as well," Ansari wrote. "His comments are not only reckless and libellous but amount to incitement against our staff members." New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters "We do not need to go back to the murders of Pat Finucane and Rosemary Nelson to understand the potential consequences of Mr Jenrick's words," he added, referring to lawyers who were killed by loyalist paramilitaries in Northern Ireland for representing alleged members of the Irish Republican Army, a proscribed militant group. 'His comments are not only reckless and libellous but amount to incitement against our staff members' - Fahad Ansari, solicitor at Riverway Law The letter noted that Mahmood had pledged to be "a champion for the rule of law" when she had been sworn in as justice minister. "I call upon you to live up to those words and to condemn Mr Jenrick's comments and call upon him and other politicians to apologise and to refrain from such attacks on members of the legal profession." Jenrick had described those seeking to overturn the UK's ban on Hamas as "acting as mouthpieces for a terrorist organisation" and called on the Solicitors Regulation Authority to investigate and potentially strike them off. In a statement to reporters, Jenrick said: "It is outrageous that legal professionals in this country are seeking to legitimise a genocidal terror group. The British public will not tolerate this." The Ministry of Justice and Jenrick did not respond to a request for comment at the time of writing. Deproscribing Hamas Last week, Riverway Law submitted an application to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, calling on her to remove Hamas from the list of proscribed terrorist organisations under Section 4 of the Terrorism Act 2000. The application was submitted with Daniel Grutters, a barrister at One Pump Court Chambers and Franck Magennis, a barrister at Garden Court Chambers. The 106-page application includes expert testimony from legal experts and academics who argue the 2021 decision to designate Hamas a terrorist organisation "pursued explicity political objectives by a politically compromised Secretary of State". The lawyers involved in the case stressed that Hamas did not pay them or the experts and lawyers who provided evidence for its submission, as it is illegal to receive funds from a group designated as a terrorist organisation. Cooper now has 90 days to consider the application and issue a decision. If the application is rejected, Hamas has the option to seek a judicial review. Hamas launches legal challenge against UK terror designation Read More » In 2021, Hamas was fully proscribed by then-Home Secretary Priti Patel, expanding an earlier ban on its armed wing. The legal process for deproscription requires the home secretary to assess whether an organisation still meets the statutory criteria for being designated as a terrorist group. Ansari argued that Jenrick's intervention undermines the legal process and the principle of independent legal representation. The dispute has reignited concerns over political attacks on legal professionals. In recent years, several Conservative politicians have criticised lawyers involved in politically sensitive cases. In 2020, Jenrick expressed frustration with "activist lawyers" challenging deportations of migrants, echoing Home Office rhetoric at the time. Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman also accused immigration lawyers of being part of a "migration racket", drawing widespread criticism from legal bodies. In 2022, then-Justice Secretary Dominic Raab proposed changes to human rights laws, accusing some lawyers of "abusing the system" to block government policies. Legal groups and human rights organisations warned these comments could have a chilling effect on the independence of the profession.
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The immigration lawyer fighting to legalise Hamas
Fahad Ansari, a south-London based solicitor, describes himself as an 'immigration and nationality lawyer striving to secure your right to enter and reside in the UK with dignity.' He holds a degree from the University of Galway in International Human Rights Law, and his LinkedIn profile positions him as a leader in his field: it proudly states that he is recommended in The Legal 500 – the guide to the best lawyers and firms in Britain and beyond – and that he has written opinion pieces that have been published in the Guardian newspaper and the New Statesman magazine. Recently, however, Ansari took on a shocking and highly controversial client: Hamas, the Iranian-backed terrorist organisation responsible for the deadly attacks on Israelis on October 7. Hamas is calling on the UK government to remove it from its list of proscribed terrorist groups by claiming that the ruling breaches the European Convention on Human Right (ECHR). The Telegraph can reveal that Ansari has apparently made a series of shocking statements regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict on social media over a period spanning years. These include claiming that Hamas is a 'legitimate resistance movement' protecting the Palestinian people from 'UK-sanctioned genocide' and that it is 'more popular than ever before' in the wake of its barbaric attacks on Israel two years ago. Credit: Riverway Lawyers Ansari is based in the UK but his nationality is listed as Irish in Companies House documents. He is part of a triumvirate of lawyers representing the group as they bring legal action against the Government. He is the director of Riverway Law, which describes itself as a 'niche immigration and nationality law practice' and is registered at an address in south London. A 106-page document submitted to Yvette Cooper by the practice this week urges the Home Secretary to depart from Britain's 'morally and legally indefensible policy of siding with the Zionist oppressor against the oppressed people of Palestine,' and also claims that Hamas 'does not pose any threat to Britain or British citizens.' It claims the ban is 'incompatible' with articles 10, 11 and 14 of the ECHR and breaches the human rights of Hamas supporters by 'unlawfully restricting' their freedom of speech and rights to protest. Credit: @MiddleEastEye/X It is the kind of work that most solicitors would undoubtedly shy away from. Not Ansari, however, who is an active user of X, formerly known as Twitter, and appears to have posted a series of statements on the platform that appear to express support for Hamas. In January this year, a post appearing on the account bearing his name said: '19 years ago today, Hamas were elected by the Palestinian people … 19 years on, Hamas stand stronger and more popular than ever before.' Another called supporters of Israel a 'stain on humanity' and said 'It is Zionism, not Hamas, that needs to be eradicated from the [West Bank].' On 24 Feb, he appeared to claim that support for Hamas has 'grown considerably' in Britain since the group's 2023 terror attacks in Israel, which resulted in the death of over 1,100 Israelis. Last July, he also appeared to post a tribute to the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, following his death in Tehran. The post said that Haniyeh had been 'martyred,' and had endured a 'lifelong struggle for the liberation of his people.' Two months prior, in the wake of the arrest of a pro-Palestinian protestor who expressed his support for Hamas in London, a post on Ansari's account said: 'Hamas is a legitimate resistance movement protecting the Palestinian people from a UK-sponsored Israeli genocide.' On several occasions, he also appears to have discredited the claims of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the terror group. A post under his name said they were 'extremely fortunate' not to be Palestinians, detained by Israel. On Jan 31 this year, Ansari dismissed claims that a number of Israeli hostages had been sexually assaulted by their captors. 'Not a single female prisoner released by Hamas has said they were raped – quite the opposite actually,' he appeared to state. Credit: @MiddleEastEye/X When approached about Ansari's apparent comments, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) said: 'Solicitors are officers of the court and must meet the high professional standards set out in our rules. We receive more than 10,000 complaints about solicitors and law firms each year. We will look into all concerns raised to assess whether there has been misconduct.' The SRA has issued a guide to enforcement on offensive communications, in which it says that 'it is not our role to sanction fair comment or opinions, even if strongly put and others disagree.' Ansari is working alongside two London-based barristers: Daniel Grütters, of One Pump Court, and Franck Magennis, of Garden Court Chambers. Magennis, an experienced barrister originally from Dublin, has also apparently made provocative comments about the conflict online. His profile states he has expertise in 'legal claims connected to Palestinian emancipation from Israeli occupation.' Appearing last year on a podcast called Activist Lawyer, Magennis said he became 'very radicalised around this issue of Palestine,' while studying for a History degree at the London School of Economics (LSE). On the day of the October 7 attacks, Magennis appeared to say on X: 'For almost two decades, 'Israel' has trapped more than two million people in an open air prison for the 'crime' of being insufficiently Jewish. We owe Palestinians our solidarity in their struggle against this naked racial domination. Victory to the intifada.' In other posts he has appeared to suggest 'anti-Zionist beliefs' should be protected under the Equality Act, and that Zionists 'will increasingly find themselves shunned, treated as reprehensible pariahs.' While barristers are obliged to represent whichever clients approach them, solicitors have no such obligation. But both must 'act in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in their professions,' says Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel. 'The social media of both Fahad Ansari and Franck Magennis has raised concerns in this regard,' he adds. Credit: @MiddleEastEye/X Politicians have been swift to criticise the lawyers acting on Hamas's behalf. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said: 'It's sickening that a UK law firm thinks there are arguments for their ban to be lifted.' Chris Phelps, the shadow home secretary, said: '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.' But those involved argue that overturning Hamas' ban is essential for legal, political and humanitarian reasons. Magennis told the Telegraph: 'Hamas's application is being launched in a context that's almost too obvious to state. Israel stands accused by a growing number of states of committing literal genocide against Palestinians, whom it clearly views as a demographic threat to the racial purity of its apartheid state. 'That is a staggering affront to Palestinian dignity, and to humanity as a whole, [prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is now a fugitive of international criminal law. Zionism and Israeli apartheid appear to be in a terminal crisis.' Grütters does not appear to have any public social media accounts. Last May, he acted for pro-Palestinian students who set up a camp in LSE buildings before the university secured a court order barring them. The Telegraph contacted Grütters's chambers, One Pump Court, for comment, but were redirected to Riverway Law. Under the cab rank rule, barristers are obliged to accept instruction on cases provided they are available and fairly remunerated. However, the rule does not apply to pro bono to reports, the lawyers involved have stressed that they have not been paid by Hamas for their work on this case as it is illegal to receive funds from a terrorist organisation. Hamas's military wing, the Qassam Brigades, has been proscribed since 2001. Dame Priti Patel, then home secretary, extended the proscription to Hamas in its entirety, including the political wing (which controls Gaza) in 2021. It is a criminal offence to belong or profess to belong to a proscribed organisation, to invite support for one, or to express an opinion or belief that is supportive of such a group. The law also prohibits arranging meetings in the name of a proscribed organisation, wearing clothing that supports one, or publishing images of its flag or logo. These offences carry a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has 90 days to respond to Hamas's application. Hamas said the proscription hinders its ability to broker a political solution to the conflict, and that it criminalises ordinary Palestinians living in Gaza. The application cites the examples of the African National Congress in South Africa and the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland and says that 'proscription undermines the possibility of a peaceful settlement'. 'Hamas does not deny that its actions fall within the wide definition of 'terrorism' under the Terrorism Act 2000,' the organisation said in its legal submission. 'Instead, it notes that the definition also covers all groups and organisations around the world that use violence to achieve political objectives, including the Israeli armed forces, the Ukrainian army and, indeed, the British Armed Forces.' Cooper has indicated the Home Office will reject the group's appeal, saying the Government 'maintains its view that Hamas is a barbaric terrorist organisation'. If this is the case, Hamas could launch an appeal to the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission, opening up the possibility of a judicial review. When approached for comment, Riverway Law said: 'There is an established convention that lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients' causes as a result of discharging their functions, precisely because it endangers lawyers for carrying out their duties… Any media outlet that continues to promote this narrative in relation to us is effectively placing a target on our backs, and knows it.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
The immigration lawyer fighting to legalise Hamas
Fahad Ansari, a south-London based solicitor, describes himself as an 'immigration and nationality lawyer striving to secure your right to enter and reside in the UK with dignity.' He holds a degree from the University of Galway in International Human Rights Law, and his LinkedIn profile positions him as a leader in his field: it proudly states that he is recommended in The Legal 500 – the guide to the best lawyers and firms in Britain and beyond – and that he has written opinion pieces that have been published in the Guardian newspaper and the New Statesman magazine. Recently, however, Ansari took on a shocking and highly controversial client: Hamas, the Iranian-backed terrorist organisation responsible for the deadly attacks on Israelis on October 7. Hamas is calling on the UK government to remove it from its list of proscribed terrorist groups by claiming that the ruling breaches the European Convention on Human Right (ECHR). The Telegraph can reveal that Ansari has apparently made a series of shocking statements regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict on social media over a period spanning years. These include claiming that Hamas is a 'legitimate resistance movement' protecting the Palestinian people from 'UK-sanctioned genocide' and that it is 'more popular than ever before' in the wake of its barbaric attacks on Israel two years ago. Ansari is based in the UK but his nationality is listed as Irish in Companies House document s. He is part of a triumvirate of lawyers representing the group as they bring legal action against the Government. He is the director of Riverway Law, which describes itself as a 'niche immigration and nationality law practice' and is registered at an address in south London. A 106-page document submitted to Yvette Cooper by the practice this week urges the Home Secretary to depart from Britain's 'morally and legally indefensible policy of siding with the Zionist oppressor against the oppressed people of Palestine,' and also claims that Hamas 'does not pose any threat to Britain or British citizens.' It claims the ban is 'incompatible' with articles 10, 11 and 14 of the ECHR and breaches the human rights of Hamas supporters by 'unlawfully restricting' their freedom of speech and rights to protest. It is the kind of work that most solicitors would undoubtedly shy away from. Not Ansari, however, who is an active user of X, formerly known as Twitter, and appears to have posted a series of statements on the platform that appear to express support for Hamas. In January this year, a post appearing on the account bearing his name said: '19 years ago today, Hamas were elected by the Palestinian people … 19 years on, Hamas stand stronger and more popular than ever before.' Another called supporters of Israel a 'stain on humanity' and said 'It is Zionism, not Hamas, that needs to be eradicated from the [West Bank].' On 24 Feb, he appeared to claim that support for Hamas has 'grown considerably' in Britain since the group's 2023 terror attacks in Israel, which resulted in the death of over 1,100 Israelis. Last July, he also appeared to post a tribute to the leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, following his death in Tehran. The post said that Haniyeh had been 'martyred,' and had endured a 'lifelong struggle for the liberation of his people.' Two months prior, in the wake of the arrest of a pro-Palestinian protestor who expressed his support for Hamas in London, a post on Ansari's account said: 'Hamas is a legitimate resistance movement protecting the Palestinian people from a UK-sponsored Israeli genocide.' On several occasions, he also appears to have discredited the claims of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip by the terror group. A post under his name said they were 'extremely fortunate' not to be Palestinians, detained by Israel. On Jan 31 this year, Ansari dismissed claims that a number of Israeli hostages had been sexually assaulted by their captors. 'Not a single female prisoner released by Hamas has said they were raped – quite the opposite actually,' he appeared to state. When approached about Ansari's apparent comments, the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) said: 'Solicitors are officers of the court and must meet the high professional standards set out in our rules. We receive more than 10,000 complaints about solicitors and law firms each year. We will look into all concerns raised to assess whether there has been misconduct.' The SRA has issued a guide to enforcement on offensive communications, in which it says that 'it is not our role to sanction fair comment or opinions, even if strongly put and others disagree.' Ansari is working alongside two London-based barristers: Daniel Grütters, of One Pump Court, and Franck Magennis, of Garden Court Chambers. Magennis, an experienced barrister originally from Dublin, has also apparently made provocative comments about the conflict online. His profile states he has expertise in 'legal claims connected to Palestinian emancipation from Israeli occupation.' Appearing last year on a podcast called Activist Lawyer, Magennis said he became 'very radicalised around this issue of Palestine,' while studying for a History degree at the London School of Economics (LSE). On the day of the October 7 attacks, Magennis appeared to say on X: 'For almost two decades, 'Israel' has trapped more than two million people in an open air prison for the 'crime' of being insufficiently Jewish. We owe Palestinians our solidarity in their struggle against this naked racial domination. Victory to the intifada.' In other posts he has appeared to suggest 'anti-Zionist beliefs' should be protected under the Equality Act, and that Zionists 'will increasingly find themselves shunned, treated as reprehensible pariahs.' While barristers are obliged to represent whichever clients approach them, solicitors have no such obligation. But both must 'act in a way that upholds public trust and confidence in their professions,' says Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UK Lawyers for Israel. 'The social media of both Fahad Ansari and Franck Magennis has raised concerns in this regard,' he adds. Politicians have been swift to criticise the lawyers acting on Hamas's behalf. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said: 'It's sickening that a UK law firm thinks there are arguments for their ban to be lifted.' Chris Phelps, the shadow home secretary, said: '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.' But those involved argue that overturning Hamas' ban is essential for legal, political and humanitarian reasons. Magennis told the Telegraph: 'Hamas's application is being launched in a context that's almost too obvious to state. Israel stands accused by a growing number of states of committing literal genocide against Palestinians, whom it clearly views as a demographic threat to the racial purity of its apartheid state. 'That is a staggering affront to Palestinian dignity, and to humanity as a whole, [prime minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is now a fugitive of international criminal law. Zionism and Israeli apartheid appear to be in a terminal crisis.' Grütters does not appear to have any public social media accounts. Last May, he acted for pro-Palestinian students who set up a camp in LSE buildings before the university secured a court order barring them. The Telegraph contacted Grütters's chambers, One Pump Court, for comment, but were redirected to Riverway Law. Under the cab rank rule, barristers are obliged to accept instruction on cases provided they are available and fairly remunerated. However, the rule does not apply to pro bono cases. According to reports, the lawyers involved have stressed that they have not been paid by Hamas for their work on this case as it is illegal to receive funds from a terrorist organisation. Hamas's military wing, the Qassam Brigades, has been proscribed since 2001. Dame Priti Patel, then home secretary, extended the proscription to Hamas in its entirety, including the political wing (which controls Gaza) in 2021. It is a criminal offence to belong or profess to belong to a proscribed organisation, to invite support for one, or to express an opinion or belief that is supportive of such a group. The law also prohibits arranging meetings in the name of a proscribed organisation, wearing clothing that supports one, or publishing images of its flag or logo. These offences carry a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison. The Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, has 90 days to respond to Hamas's application. Hamas said the proscription hinders its ability to broker a political solution to the conflict, and that it criminalises ordinary Palestinians living in Gaza. The application cites the examples of the African National Congress in South Africa and the Irish Republican Army in Northern Ireland and says that 'proscription undermines the possibility of a peaceful settlement'. 'Hamas does not deny that its actions fall within the wide definition of 'terrorism' under the Terrorism Act 2000,' the organisation said in its legal submission. 'Instead, it notes that the definition also covers all groups and organisations around the world that use violence to achieve political objectives, including the Israeli armed forces, the Ukrainian army and, indeed, the British Armed Forces.' Cooper has indicated the Home Office will reject the group's appeal, saying the Government 'maintains its view that Hamas is a barbaric terrorist organisation'. If this is the case, Hamas could launch an appeal to the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission, opening up the possibility of a judicial review. When approached for comment, Riverway Law said: 'There is an established convention that lawyers shall not be identified with their clients or their clients' causes as a result of discharging their functions, precisely because it endangers lawyers for carrying out their duties… Any media outlet that continues to promote this narrative in relation to us is effectively placing a target on our backs, and knows it.'
