UK police arrest journalist Richard Medhurst under ‘Terrorism Act’

Medhurst, a strong critic of Israel, was arrested and detained for 24 hours at Heathrow Airport in London

News Desk - the Cradle 

Journalist Richard Medhurs (Photo credit: Medium)

Syrian-British journalist Richard Medhurst was arrested and held for 24 hours upon his arrival at Heathrow Airport earlier this month, he announced on 20 August.

Medhurst stated via social media that six police officers were waiting for him as he exited his plane in London on 15 August, adding that he was questioned under the Terrorism Act, Section 12.

"I believe I'm the first journalist to be arrested under this provision of the Terrorism Act. I feel that this is a political persecution and hampers my ability to work as a journalist," Medhurst explained.

Among other things, Section 12 of the UK Terrorism Act stipulates that a person “commits an offense” if they invite “support for a proscribed organization,” “expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organization,” “arranges, manages or assists in arranging or managing a meeting which he knows is to support a proscribed organization,” or "addresses a meeting and the purpose of his address is to encourage support for a proscribed organization or to further its activities."

Other British journalists who have reported critically on Israeli, UK, and US foreign policy have also been detained and harassed upon returning to their home country, including The Cradle contributor Kit Klarenberg and Vanessa Beeley, who is well known for her reporting from Syria during the US and Israeli-backed regime change war.

Richard Medhurst was born in Damascus. He has a large following on X, hosts a weekly television program on Press TV, and regularly contributes to Russia Today (RT) and the Black Agenda Report.

As Israel's genocide of Palestinians in Gaza continues, the silencing of voices critical of Israeli atrocities has grown.

On 7 August, the FBI raided the home of US journalist and former UN weapons inspector Scott Ritter, who contributes to RT and is harshly critical of US policy in Ukraine and Israel.

The raid on Ritter's home came 24 hours after he stated in an interview with Judge Andrew Napolitano that religious Jewish Israelis were citing the Talmud to justify sodomizing and torturing Palestinian detainees at the notorious Sde Teiman detention camp.

On 16 August, Facebook and Instagram parent company Meta permanently banned The Cradle from its social media platforms for allegedly violating community guidelines by "praising terrorist organizations" and engaging in "incitement to violence."

"No one can see or find your account, and you can't use it. All your information will be permanently deleted," reads the message accompanying the ban on Instagram, where The Cradle had surpassed 107,000 followers and amassed millions of views.

On 20 August, Elon Musk banned popular Egyptian comedian Bassef Yousef's account on X.

Yousef has a large following and has appeared on multiple mainstream media outlets, speaking out against Israeli atrocities in Gaza and support of Palestinians.