The UK’s interior minister, James Cleverly, announced on Monday that the process of banning the Sunni Muslim political organization Hizb ut-Tahrir has commenced, citing the group’s alleged anti-Semitic views and promotion of terrorism. Cleverly characterized Hizb ut-Tahrir as an “anti-Semitic organization that actively promotes and encourages terrorism,” pointing to its praise and celebration of the October 7 attacks on Israel.
Hizb ut-Tahrir is already banned in several countries, including Bangladesh, Egypt, Germany, Pakistan, and various Central Asian and Arab nations. The proposed ban in the UK, scheduled to come into force on January 19 if approved by MPs, would make supporting the group punishable by up to 14 years in prison and could lead to asset seizures.
The UK government’s statement emphasized Hizb ut-Tahrir’s history of praising and celebrating attacks against Israel, along with describing Hamas as “heroes” on its central website, characterizing these actions as promoting and encouraging terrorism. The move aligns with the UK’s strong stance against anti-Semitism and its commitment not to tolerate the promotion of terrorism in any form.
Hizb ut-Tahrir, founded in 1953 with its headquarters in Lebanon, operates in at least 32 countries, including the UK, United States, Canada, and Australia, according to the UK’s Home Office. The organization’s long-term objective is to establish a Caliphate governed by Islamic law.
