European Muslim NGOs condemn state repression of Palestine activism

A group of leading European Muslim NGOs have condemned the “undeniable” increase in the suppression and criminalisation of forms of resistance to Israeli atrocities in Gaza, whether it be via boycotting, protesting, direct action or showing solidarity with the legitimate struggle for Palestinian freedom.

“The authoritarian infrastructure responsible for the criminalisation of pro-Palestinian activism we are experiencing today, is inextricably linked to over 20 years of War on Terror laws and policies,” said the NGOs CAGE International, Perspectives Musulmanes (France), INSAN (Sweden), CAGE Austria and CEDA (Denmark).

The group’s representatives attended the Human Dimension Conference in Warsaw organised by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), the world’s largest regional security intergovernmental organisation with 57 participating states. The group used their presence at the conference to highlight and campaign against Islamophobia and state repression of Palestinian solidarity. They drew attention to the fact that, since 7 October last year, European states have increased their repression of pro-Palestine activism.

Such repression, they pointed out, has included:

• Infringement on the freedom of assembly by banning or severely restricting protests, issuing fines, and the excessive use of violence by police officers.
• Infringement on the freedom of speech through banning slogans.
• Arresting and imprisoning pro-Palestine activists, as in the case of Elias d’Imzalène of France, and Marieha Hussein and six staff members of CAGE International in the United Kingdom.
• Infringement on the rights to freedom of association through the dissolution and banning of organisations.
• Infringement on the right to privacy and family life through house raids.
• Infringement on the right to free movement and residence through house arrests or expulsions, as in the case of Imam Ismail and Imam Ridouane of France.

This surveillance and subsequent rise in allegations against activist voices expose a worrying decline in the promotion and protection of human rights, affirmed by the OSCE as the “birthright of all human beings”, said the NGOs.

“Last year, our coalition raised at the OSCE conference an endemic of state-sponsored Islamophobia across Europe,” they explained. “This year, we note that this has escalated significantly to become a broader state-sponsored repression of Muslims and pro-Palestine voices across the continent.”

Shezana Hafiz spoke about UK support for genocide and the suppression of Palestine solidarity. “The UK government has compromised civil liberties and judicial independence to support Israeli arms manufacturers,” she pointed out. “This was revealed by leaks of secret meetings between government ministers, the Attorney General’s office on behalf of the CPS and Israeli arms manufacturers Elbit Systems, aimed at suppressing pro-Palestine activists from Palestine Action.”

The repression of Palestinian activism within France, said Rayan Freschi, uses the large and effective infrastructure of the State’s official Islamophobia. “Expressions of support for Palestinians are silenced. Gatherings and protests have been outlawed for months. Political expression remains policed, and Muslim voices in particular, continue to be criminalised by the State for their support of Palestine.”

Indeed, according to Elias d’Imzalène, “France has become the spearhead of Islamophobia and discrimination in Europe. Any activist calling for a ceasefire in Gaza is being persecuted. The State seeks to silence their voice by any means necessary. By criminalising the condemnation of genocide and support for Palestine, France is demonstrating that it is not just an accomplice, but also a party to the Islamophobic and anti-Palestinian genocide.”

Austria, meanwhile, has a state-funded Documentation Centre for Political Islam, explained Nehal Abdala. “This monitors Muslims in Austria and justifies repression against Muslim activists and opposition groups.” Pro-Palestine demonstrations have been suppressed “harshly”, she added.

In Sweden, said Amanj Aziz, Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson “is pitting Jews against Muslims.” Kristersson revealed last week that Sweden appears to have a hierarchy of racism when he said explicitly that, “Anti-Semitism is worse than Islamophobia.” This, added Aziz, was after one of his political allies published “racist cartoons” of Muslims.

Noting the failure of global institutions to hold Israel to account for war crimes and genocide, the NGOs said that this suggests at best an inability to do anything, at worst complicity in such awful crimes.

“The latter has been the case with most European nations,” they organisations claimed. “The OSCE must enforce mechanisms to compel governments to adhere to international law otherwise it condemns itself as an inept institution.”

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