A jury at Birmingham Crown Court has failed to reach a verdict in the terrorism trial of pro-Palestine activist and aid worker Majid Freeman, resulting in a hung jury. A retrial has been provisionally scheduled for September 20, 2027, British Muslim news site 5Pillars reports.
Freeman, whose full name is Majid Novsarka, had faced charges relating to allegations of encouraging terrorism and supporting a proscribed organisation (Hamas) through social media posts made during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.
Prosecutors argued that posts shared on X and Instagram amounted to support for Hamas and encouragement of violent acts, while the defence maintained that Freeman was expressing solidarity with Palestinians and documenting what he viewed as genocide and resistance to occupation.
The outcome follows a closely watched two-week trial that drew significant public attention and became a flashpoint in the wider debate around freedom of speech, Palestine activism and the use of UK terrorism legislation against Muslim activists.
In a statement following the hearing, Freeman welcomed the prospect of a retrial, saying it would once again place the realities of Gaza before a British jury.
“The state exhausted considerable resources trying to prosecute me based on emoji, duas and posts online. And after almost a week of deliberation, the jury could not agree that I was guilty. They could not agree.
“That is not nothing. I welcome the opportunity of a retrial, because it means the evidence of what Israel has done to Gaza – the brutality, the systematic destruction of an entire people – will once again be placed before a jury of the British public. Let them see it again. Let the world be reminded again.”
Full story: Jury fails to reach verdict in Majid Freeman terror trial, forcing a 2027 retrial – 5Pillars
