A former British diplomat and human rights activist has been detained under the country’s counterterrorism laws after announcing support for the people of Palestine and criticizing Israel’s atrocities against them.
Craig Murray was detained on Monday under the UK’s so-called Prevention of Terrorism Act after he returned from a trip to Iceland.
Before his arrest, he had taken part in a pro-Palestinian protest outside Iceland’s parliament building.
I have just returned, sodden and cold, from standing in miserable weather outside Iceland’s parliament alongside hundreds of Reykjavik citizens spontaneously showing solidarity with the people of Palestine.
We started with about sixty people. Passers by flocked to us. I met MPs… https://t.co/Oc3otmOzZS
— Craig Murray – (@CraigMurrayOrg) October 15, 2023
In another X post on Sunday, Murray had clearly indicated his support for Palestinian resistance movement, Hamas, and the Lebanese Hezbollah movement.
“But in the coming Gaza genocide, every act of armed resistance by Hamas and Hezbollah will have my support. If that is a crime, send me back to jail,” he said.
To be entirely plain.
I have always viscerally opposed war. I have dedicated my life to conflict resolution and reconciliation.
But in the coming Gaza genocide, every act of armed resistance by Hamas and Hezbollah will have my support.
If that is a crime, send me back to jail.
— Craig Murray – (@CraigMurrayOrg) October 14, 2023
On the same day, Murray reposted an earlier X post by Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories, calling on the world body to intervene for an immediate ceasefire in Israel’s ongoing bloody war against the Gaza Strip and saying, “Under int’l law, atrocity crimes must not only be punished but also prevented.”
Once again: I implore the UN to intervene for an immediate CEASEFIRE. There can be no more delay.
Under int’l law, atrocity crimes must not only be punished but also prevented.
The only possible meaning of ‘never again’ is simply this: never again, for any human being. https://t.co/OIO2BmX2B9
— Francesca Albanese, UN Special Rapporteur oPt (@FranceskAlbs) October 15, 2023
His detention came amid an all-out war waged by the Israeli regime against the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip, which has so far claimed the lives of more than 2,800 Palestinians and injured close to 11,000 others.
The war was waged after an operation by Gaza’s resistance groups that has so far left some 1,200 Israeli forces and illegal settlers dead and close to 200 others captive. The resistance factions launched the operation in response to the Israeli regime’s decades-long campaign of bloodshed and destruction against Palestinians.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said those supporting Hamas following the operation would be “held to account,” vowing support for the Israeli regime and pledging readiness on the part of London to provide Tel Aviv with military assistance.
Upon arresting Murray, British authorities seized his phone and other electronic devices. He was also questioned about attending a pro-Palestinian protest outside the Icelandic parliament.
A former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan, Murray was sacked by the country’s Foreign Office for criticizing the host country’s human rights record as well as vehemently opposing the United States administration’s extraordinary rendition program, which involved torturing terrorism suspects.
Following his sacking from the British diplomatic service, Murray embraced journalism and human rights activism and established his own blog to publish his views and findings.
