Barrister in Palestine Action trial wins contempt of court appeal

WorldPolitics
13 May 2026 • 6:07 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Barrister in Palestine Action trial wins contempt of court appeal

  • Leading human rights barrister Rajiv Menon KC has won a Court of Appeal bid over his referral for contempt of court during his closing speech in the trial of Palestine Action activists.
  • Mr Justice Johnson, who oversaw the criminal trial, accused Mr Menon of misleading the jury and ignoring judicial directions, subsequently asking the High Court to consider contempt proceedings.
  • In March, a High Court judge ruled that Mr Menon should be summonsed for a hearing regarding the contempt allegations, a decision which Mr Menon appealed.
  • The Court of Appeal judges ruled in Mr Menon's favour, finding that Mr Justice Johnson did not have the power to directly refer the contempt allegation to the High Court.
  • The case will now be sent back to Mr Justice Johnson to consider the next steps, with the possibility of referring the matter to the Attorney General.

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