26 July 2017

British judge rejects legal challenge to counter-terrorism strategy

A British judge rejected on Wednesday a case brought against the government's counter-terrorism strategy, according to lawyers for the claimant, a Muslim activist.

Salman Butt, 31, had claimed the government’s "Prevent" program breached his right to free speech as it imposed a duty on universities to stop radicals by restricting some speakers from addressing students.

Rejecting Butt's case, Judge Duncan Ouseley ruled that universities could disregard the advice in certain cases and that the right to free speech was not restricted, the lawyers said.

The "Prevent" program is aimed at halting the spread of radical ideology, attempting to address such issues as the dissemination of material online and through public speakers. [Reuters] Read more