Advocacy group Cage takes legal action against Charity Commission
|
Version 0 of 1. The advocacy group Cage, which faced questions over its links to the Islamic State killer Mohammed Emwazi, has launched a legal action against the Charity Commission. Cage has commenced judicial review proceedings against the regulator, which it claims exceeded its role by pressuring other charities to cut their ties with the organisation. The Charity Commission requested that the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Roddick Foundation stop giving grants to Cage, warning that they risked damaging public trust in charity by doing so. The advocacy group had attracted criticism over its links to Emwazi, the man named as the Isis executioner “Jihadi John”, and its suggestion that harassment by MI5 had contributed to his radicalisation. Cage, which is not itself a charity, says the Commission’s actions were unlawful and mean the group is now struggling to fund its advocacy work. Both the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and the Roddick Foundation agreed to sever ties with Cage following pressure from the regulator. The group says other charities were also questioned about sharing a platform with them. “The Charity Commission appears to be assuming the role of counterterrorism police rather than a charity sector regulator,” said Ibrahim Mohamoud, a spokesperson for Cage. “Charities must be able to function with a regulator that does not create a climate of fear and undermine the fundamental freedoms of expression and association.” A Charity Commission spokesperson said: “We can confirm that the commission is aware of this legal claim and that we are considering it carefully. We cannot comment further at this stage.” The high court will now have to decide whether to grant permission for a judicial review hearing, which could take several months. |