Haroon Siddique
Verified
As seen in:
The Guardian,
Medium,
MSN,
MSN Canada,
MSN Ireland,
MSN New Zealand,
MSN UK,
Business Insider,
MSN South Africa,
The Guardian Australia,
Yahoo Canada
and
Legal Affairs Correspondent at the Guardian. The bald facts. haroon.siddique@theguardian.com or (encrypted) haroon.siddique@protonmail.com AWOL from X
Articles by Haroon Siddique
Meet the offenders cleaning canals in the West Midlands as an alternative to prison
As the prison overcrowding crisis shows no sign of abating and the debate rages over early releases , an initiative in the West Midlands offers an alternative to custodial sentences. The Guardian was offered rare access to the project, under which, instead of being sent to prison, convicted offenders work on the improvement of waterways and green spaces around Smethwick.
Labour MP suing Elon Musk's XAI says chatbot added own fake abusive content
A Labour MP who is taking legal action against Elon Musk's xAI company over fake sexualised images created by Grok says the AI tool was instructed to operate with “no restrictions on adult sexual content or offensive content”. Jess Asato's lawyers published her particulars of claim in the case on Tuesday, which included details of publicly posted instructions that the claim says illustrate how Grok was trained to generate harmful sexualised content.
Palestine Action barrister’s prosecution criticised as ‘chilling’
The prosecution of a leading human rights barrister for contempt of court over his closing speech during a trial of Palestine Action activists has left lawyers fearful of doing their job, the chair of the Criminal Bar Association (CBA) has said.
UK charity funding school at heart of illegal Israeli settlement expansion
A British charity is funding a religious school at the heart of expansion plans for the illegal Israeli settlement in the Palestinian city of Hebron. Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron sent nearly £200,000 to the school between 2019 and 2024, the last year for which accounts are publicly available on the website of the Charity Commission, the charity regulator for England and Wales.
UK charity funding school at heart of illegal Israeli settlement expansion
A British charity is funding a religious school at the heart of expansion plans for the illegal Israeli settlement in the Palestinian city of Hebron. Friends of Yeshivat Shavei Hevron sent nearly £200,000 to the school between 2019 and 2024, the last year for which accounts are publicly available on the website of the Charity Commission, the charity regulator for England and Wales.
Pro-Palestine activists sentenced as terrorists over damage at Israeli arms factory in UK
A judge has imposed lengthy custodial sentences on four Palestine Action activists who smashed up drones and other equipment at an Israeli arms manufacturer’s UK factory after ruling that there was a “terrorist connection” to their offending. Charlotte Head, 30, and Leona Kamio, 30, were each jailed for five years and Fatema Rajwani, 21, was sentenced to four years and 8 months for criminal damage in relation to a 2024 break-in at the Elbit Systems UK site in Gloucestershire.
How did the notion of ‘two-tier policing’ evolve, and does it really exist?
The US government has joined criticism of alleged two-tier policing in the UK in the wake of Henry Nowak's murder. How did the term enter the mainstream, and is there any basis for the claim? Where did the concept of two-tier policing originate? The term, which suggests police deal more harshly with white people than other ethnic groups, first came to prominence through its use by people on the far right.
UK security services helped devise act that gave amnesty over Troubles killings
The British security services were involved in formulating the controversial Legacy Act, which offered an amnesty to soldiers and paramilitiaries despite MI5’s role in many killings during the Northern Ireland Troubles, it can be revealed.
Warrants for defendants skipping court in England and Wales up 50% since 2020
Almost 60,000 arrest warrants were issued for defendants who skipped court in England and Wales last year, up nearly 50% since 2020 in further evidence of the “horror show” in the criminal justice system. The figures, obtained in an investigation by Channel 4’s Dispatches to air on Friday, also show that more than 30,000 failure-to-appear warrants are outstanding, meaning that tens of thousands of criminals could be on the run after being charged.
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor faces police investigation into alleged inappropriate behaviour at Royal Ascot, says report
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Police investigating Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor are looking into an allegation that he behaved inappropriately towards a woman at Royal Ascot, according to a report.
New breed of political prisoner arises in Britain as anti-protest sentences rise
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Britain has created a new breed of political prisoners through the systematic incarceration of people acting to prevent climate breakdown and the annihilation of Gaza, a report claims. The research by Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and the protest group Defend Our Juries says that custodial sentences for acts of direct action or civil disobedience were once rare but are now being imposed with increasing length and frequency.
Teenagers’ non-custodial sentences for rape under review, UK government says
; ; ; Continue reading More for You ; ; ; ; Continue reading More for You
Teenage boys' non-custodial sentences for rape ‘unduly lenient', says Jess Phillips
Haroon Siddique and agency The MP Jess Phillips has condemned the non-custodial sentences given to three teenage boys for the rape of two girls as “unduly lenient”. The two girls were raped in two separate incidents in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, in November 2024 and January last year. In the first attack a 15-year-old girl was raped by two of the defendants, both aged 14 at the time.
Palestine Action activists in Elbit protest could be sentenced as terrorists
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent In an unprecedented move in a criminal damage case, the judge, Mr Justice Johnson, ruled before the first trial that there appeared to be a “terrorist connection” to the offences – even though the protest took place before Palestine Action was proscribed – but this could not be told to the jury. The finding and the restriction on telling the jury continued for the retrial.
Palestine Action trial lawyer wins appeal against contempt of court charge
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Rajiv Menon KC was accused of breaching the judge's directions in the trial of six people for a 2024 direct action protest at an arms factory of the Israeli subsidiary Elbit Systems UK in Filton, near Bristol.
Barrister in Palestine Action trial facing contempt of court proceedings
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent A leading human rights barrister is facing contempt of court proceedings after he was accused of defying a judge's orders during a trial of Palestine Action activists. Rajiv Menon KC is accused of breaching the judge's directions while giving his closing speech in the trial of six people in relation to a 2024 direct action protest at an arms factory of the Israeli subsidiary Elbit Systems UK in Filton, near Bristol.
Lawyer who represented Hamas in court says UK police falsely listed him as member of group
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent A lawyer who filedHamas's challenge to proscriptionin the UK was recorded by police as being a member of the banned group, “equating him with his client”. On a risk assessment form, a detective inspector, who authorised the detention of Fahad Ansari under the Terrorism Act on his return from a family holiday in Ireland, wrote “Hamas” in the space reserved for “membership of a known group”.
Four Palestine Action activists convicted of criminal damage
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Four out of six Palestine Action activists who stood trial over a break-in at an Israeli defence firm's UK site have been convicted of criminal damage. Charlotte Head, 29; Samuel Corner, 23; Leona Kamio, 30; and Fatema Rajwani, 21; were all found guilty on Tuesdayof smashing up property, including drones, manufactured by Elbit Systems and computers at its factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024.
Greta Thunberg, Sally Rooney and Brian Eno defy Palestine Action ban in letter to judges
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Sally Rooney, Greta Thunberg and Brian Eno have written to the court of appeal in support of Palestine Action before next week's hearing to determine the lawfulness of the ban on the direct action protest group. The letter, composed of only seven words – “We oppose genocide, we support Palestine Action” – is signed by more than 130 people and is the first time that prominent scholars, writers and activists have come together to defy the ban.
Palestine Action activist who hit officer with sledgehammer 'panicked', court told
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent A Palestine Action activist who struck a police officer with a sledgehammer during a protest at an Israeli-linked arms factory acted to protect a co-defendant he believed was being seriously hurt, a court has heard. Samuel Corner, 23, is accused of causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Sgt Kate Evans during a raid on the Elbit Systems facility, in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024.
Founder of Starmer's legal chambers condemns Labour plans to cut jury trials
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent The founder of Keir Starmer's barristers' chambers has condemned the plannedrestriction of jury trialsin England and Wales as “a betrayal of the values for which Labour purports to stand”.
Met Police accused of favouring Tommy Robinson far-right rally over Palestine march
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Annie Lennox and Miriam Margolyes are among artists who have accused the Metropolitan police of giving preferential treatment to a far-right demonstration led byTommy Robinsonover a pro-Palestine protest in London on the same day.
Can Starmer maintain 'defensive strikes' stance as Trump escalates threats on Iran?
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent In Downing Street, Keir Starmer has been at pains to emphasise that he will only authorise the use of UK bases by the US for “defensive” strikes on Iranian military targets. In the White House, Donald Trump hasthreatened to bomb civilian infrastructure– and said on Monday that he was “not at all” worried about committing war crimes.
Claimants drop lawsuit against Gerry Adams over IRA bombings
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Three victims of IRA bombings who sued Gerry Adams alleging he was a member of the paramilitary group and culpable for the attacks have withdrawn their lawsuit on the last day of the civil trial. John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who were injured respectively in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing , the London Docklands and Manchester bombings in 1996, were seeking symbolic “vindicatory” damages of £1 each.
High Court claimant was fed answers through his smart glasses, judge finds
A claimant was being fed answers through his smart glasses while giving evidence in the high court in London, a judge has found. Laimonas Jakštys was “untruthful in denying his use of the smart glasses” and his witness statements “were clearly prepared by others”, the insolvency judge Raquel Agnello KC ruled. Agnello said that when Jakštys was giving evidence, he paused before replying to questions, as first reported by Legal Futures.
Gerry Adams was leader of IRA, ex-police officers tell high court
Gerry Adams was the leader of the Irish Republican Army, two former police officers have told the high court. The former Sinn Féin leader is being sued for symbolic “vindicatory” damages of £1 each by John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who allege he was culpable for three separate IRA bombings in which they were injured. Adams denies ever having been a member of the IRA or having sat on its army council.
Gerry Adams ‘as culpable as those who planted IRA bombs', High Court hears
Gerry Adams is as culpable for IRA bombings on the UK mainland as the individuals who planted and detonated the devices, the high court has heard at the beginning of a civil trial. The former Sinn Féin leader is being sued for symbolic “vindicatory” damages of £1 each by John Clark, Jonathan Ganesh and Barry Laycock, who were injured respectively in the 1973 Old Bailey bombing , and the London Docklands and Manchester bombings in 1996.
Ofcom urged to clarify if Palestine Action content should still be removed online
Human rights organisations, academics and writers have called on Ofcom to clarify what the high court ruling that the ban on Palestine Action was unlawful will mean for online platforms pending the home secretary's appeal against the judgment. The Metropolitan police have said that officers will no longer arrest people at protests who express support for the direct action group.
UK surgeon cleared of antisemitism criticises GMC's plan to challenge ruling
A surgeon who was cleared by a tribunal of alleged antisemitism and support for terrorism has accused his regulator of seeking a “politically acceptable” outcome after it announced it would appeal against the decision to the high court. Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah, who gave testimony to the international criminal court on Israel's assault on Gaza and is the rector of the University of Glasgow, was cleared of misconduct by the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) in January.
Home secretary granted permission to challenge ruling on Palestine Action ban
The home secretary has been granted permission to challenge the high court's ruling that the decision to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws was unlawful. An order issued by the high court on Wednesday said Shabana Mahmood could take the case to the court of appeal and that the ban would remain in place pending the outcome of the fresh hearing.
‘Immensely heartened': Sally Rooney hails Palestine Action high court ruling as victory for UK civil liberties
Sally Rooney has hailed the high court's decision that it was unlawful to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws as a victory for civil liberties in Britain. Ministers suffered a humiliating legal defeat a week ago when three senior judges ruled that proscription of the direct action group, which targets organisations it considers complicit in arming Israel, was disproportionate and unlawful .
Aggravated burglary charges against 18 Palestine Action activists dropped
Prosecutors have dropped aggravated burglary charges against 18 defendants accused of a Palestine Action break-in at an Israeli defence firm's UK site after a jury cleared six other defendants of the offence.
UK shoppers warned over spread of harmful and illegal skin lightening kits
Illegal skin lightening products are being sold in an increasingly wide range of UK outlets, including butchers, specialist food shops and small grocery stores, trading standards officers have warned. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) is warning that many of the products contain substances that are banned because of the serious risks they pose to health, including skin damage, infections and pregnancy complications.
Ban on Palestine Action 'massively backfired', says group's co-founder
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent The co-founder of Palestine Action has said the ban on the group “massively backfired” and called for its proscription to be suspended after the high court found it to be unlawful . Three senior judges ruled on Friday that the ban was disproportionate and constituted very serious interference with the rights to protest and free speech.
Ruling against Palestine Action ban is embarrassing defeat for the government
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent The list of those who criticised the ban on Palestine Action and its consequences was disparate to say the least, taking in a Trump administration official , a former director of public prosecutions, a former director of the security services, Home Office officials , politicians of different stripes, and UN experts , not to mention a host of NGOs. Now a trio of senior judges can be added to the list, after they deemed the ban to be...
UK Palestine Action ban ruled unlawful, in humiliating blow for ministers
Judges have humiliated ministers by insisting Palestine Action should not be banned under anti-terrorism laws in a ruling that has left thousands of its alleged supporters in legal limbo. The high court said on Friday the government's proscription of the direct action group was “disproportionate and unlawful” and that most of their activities had not reached the level, scale and persistence to be defined as terrorism.
Police hold discussions with CPS over investigation into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor
Police have held discussions with specialist prosecutors over investigations into Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's links with Jeffrey Epstein while the former duke was acting as the UK's trade envoy. Oliver Wright, assistant chief constable of Thames Valley police, said on Wednesday that the force was leading the assessment of allegations against Mountbatten-Windsor of misconduct in public office, specifically relating to documents within the Epstein files released by the US justice department.
Palestine Action activist says jury verdicts were vindication of cause
The youngest of six Palestine Action activists cleared of aggravated burglary over a break-in at an Israeli defence firm's UK site has said the verdicts were a vindication of their cause. After 18 months in jail, Fatema Rajwani, 21, was released on bail last Wednesday, having also been acquitted by a jury at Woolwich crown court of violent disorder in relation to the raid on the Elbit Systems factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024.
Anger over Scottish salmon farm inspections amid 35M unexpected fish deaths
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent Scottish salmon farmers recorded more than 35m unexpected salmon deaths in just under three years but there were only two unannounced inspections of facilities over the same period. In December, the Scottish government's secretary for rural affairs, Mairi Gougeon, said that there was “ a really robust regulatory regime when it comes to fin-fish aquaculture” but animal welfare campaigners say the figures call that claim into question.
Palestine Action activists cleared of aggravated burglary at Israeli defence firm site
Six Palestine Action activists have been cleared of committing aggravated burglary over a break-in at an Israeli defence firm's UK site. Charlotte Head, Samuel Corner, Leona Kamio, Fatema Rajwani, Zoe Rogers and Jordan Devlin were accused of threatening unlawful violence and using sledgehammers as weapons after a prison van was driven into Elbit Systems' factory in Filton, near Bristol, on 6 August 2024. But after a trial at Woolwich crown court, south London, none were convicted of any offence.
What do the latest Epstein revelations mean for Peter Mandelson?
The Met police have said they are considering whether to launch a criminal investigation into Peter Mandelson after fresh disclosures from the Jeffrey Epstein files. Which laws could he potentially be accused of breaking and on what basis? What could Mandelson be accused of? The Met have said they have received a number of reports relating to possible misconduct in public office. The SNP and Reform UK reported Mandelson to the police to investigate any possible offences.
Saudi Arabia ordered to pay £3m to London dissident over Pegasus spying
Haroon Siddique and Stephanie Kirchgaessner A judge has ordered Saudi Arabia to pay more than £3m in damages to a London-based dissident whose phones were targeted with Pegasus spyware . In a judgment handed down on Monday , Judge Pushpinder Saini ruled that Ghanem al-Masarir was entitled to compensation for psychiatric harm sustained after discovering that his iPhones had been hacked, as well as a physical attack on him outside Harrods in central London.
Judge-only trials in England and Wales will not wipe out crown court backlog, report says
David Lammy’s plans to introduce judge-only criminal trials in England and Wales will save less than 2% of time in crown courts, the Institute for Government (IFG) has said. In a report that casts doubt on the ability of the changes, which will slash the number of jury trials to achieve their goal of wiping out the courts’ backlog, the thinktank described the gains from judge-only trials as “marginal”.
Did Palestine Action hunger strikers achieve their goals?
Haroon Siddique Legal affairs correspondent As the hunger strike by Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners dragged on, it seemed to be moving towards an inexorable and grim conclusion . With those taking part steadfast in their demands and ministers refusing to even meet their representatives, it began to seem that only a death might end the protest; and even then it was unclear what the others refusing food would do.
Three Palestine Action protesters end their hunger strike
Three Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners have announced the end of their hunger strike after the government decided not to award a £2bn contract to the Israeli arms company subsidiary Elbit Systems UK – with another four who had paused their protest choosing not to continue. Fears had been growing for the welfare of those taking part.
Rights group disputes claim ministers cannot act over Palestine Action-linked hunger strikers
Human Rights Watch has written to the attorney general saying ministers' claims that they cannot intervene in the hunger strike by Palestine Action-affiliated prisoners is “not fully true”. One of the demands by those refusing food is for immediate bail and the NGO says Richard Hermer, the government's most senior law officer, could facilitate this by instructing prosecutors not to oppose their bail applications, although the government denied this.
Palestinian citizen of Israel wins UK asylum over 'well-founded fear of persecution'
A Palestinian citizen of Israel has been granted asylum in the UK on the basis of a “well-founded fear of persecution” despite a former home secretary's attempt to block the claim. Hasan (not his real name) is believed to be the first Palestinian with an Israeli passport to be given refugee status in the UK. But the decision came only after two about-turns by the Home Office and a protracted legal battle.
Labour MPs plan to oppose move to restrict protest at animal testing sites
Labour MPs are among those planning to vote against a move to restrict protest outside animal breeding and testing facilities by reclassifying them as “key national infrastructure”, amid fresh concerns about the criminalisation of peaceful protest.
Labour MPs plan to oppose move to restrict protest at animal testing sites
Labour MPs are among those planning to vote against a move to restrict protest outside animal breeding and testing facilities by reclassifying them as “key national infrastructure”, amid fresh concerns about the criminalisation of peaceful protest.
Imprisoned hunger striker linked to Palestine Action tells friend: 'I'm dying'
A prisoner linked to Palestine Action who is on day 71 of a hunger strike has told a friend: “I'm dying.” Francesca Nadin visited Heba Muraisi, 31, at HMP New Hall, in Wakefield, on Saturday for the first time since the protest began and said she was taken aback by her friend's appearance. “I was shocked – I mean I shouldn't be – at how skinny she is, like a paper thing,” said Nadin. “When I hugged her I felt like if I hugged too hard I would just break her.
Show More
loading
Actions
Get in touch with Haroon
Contact Haroon, search articles and posts on X, monitor coverage, and track replies from one place.
Learn more about Muck Rack