Palestine Action defence barrister wins UK contempt of court challenge

“Palestine Action defence barrister wins UK contempt of court challenge Submitted by Katherine Hearst on Tue, 05/12/2026 - 15:30 Rajiv Menon KC faced unprecedented charges for allegedly defying the judge's directions during the trial of six Palestine Action activists Protesters outside the Royal Courts of Justice, central London, demonsrrate in support of "Defend Our Juries" and their campaign against the ban on Palestine Action on 26 November 2025 (AFP) Off A leading human rights barrister who represented Palestine Action defendants in the UK has won an appeal against a contempt of court case. Rajiv Menon KC was accused of breaching the judge’s directions in a closing speech he delivered at the conclusion of the first trial at Woolwich Crown Court involving six Palestine action defendants accused of causing criminal damage to weapons at an Israeli army factory outside Bristol. The defendants were subsequently cleared of charges of aggravated burglary. They were then retried, with four of them convicted of criminal damage last week. The proceedings against Menon are thought to be unprecedented in English legal history. During the trial, the presiding judge, Justice Johnson, directed lawyers that their closing speeches could not invite the jury to disregard the court's ruling or law, and barred them from reminding the jury of its right to acquit on conscience - known as the principle of “jury equity”. In his closing remarks, Menon, who has 30 years of expeerience and who represented defendant Charlotte Head in both trials, read out an inscription on a plaque at the Old Bailey commemorating Bushell’s Case of 1670, which first “established the right of juries to give their verdicts according to their convictions”. Menon told jurors that the defendants had been “restricted” when giving evidence about their knowledge of Israeli arms company Elbit Systems' role in Israel's war on Gaza, and that it would be “ridiculous” for jurors to ignore that wider context and its impact on the defendants. He also told the jury that the judge could not direct them to convict. Justice Johnson said that the effec t of Menon's speech "was to invite the jury to disregard my directions that they should put views of the Middle East and the war in Gaza, and emotion, to one side", and referred him to the administrative court. Menon’s lawyers launched an appeal on the grounds that the High Court lacked jurisdiction to handle the case against him without an intervention from the attorney general. On Monday, the Court of Appeal agreed with Menon’s team, finding that Justice Johnson wrongly initiated proceedings and should have either dealt with the issue himself at the time or referred the matter to the attorney general. Menon’s solicitor, Jenny Wiltshire, from Hickman & Rose, said that Menon “is delighted that the Court of Appeal has found in his favour”, adding that he “hopes that this is now an end to the matter”. The case is referred back to the trial judge. It will be halted unless he refers it to the attorney general, Lord Hermer. Palestine Action News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0

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