UK journalists and NGOs risk terrorism prosecutions under new security bill

UK journalists and NGOs risk terrorism prosecutions under new security bill Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 06/30/2026 - 12:15 The legislation criminalises people who 'support, assist and obtain material benefits', including information, from groups deemed to be terrorist organisations The National Security (State Threats) Bill will hand UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood sweeping powers to designate as a threat any state-backed organisation she deems to be prejudicial to the UK's 'safety and interests' (AFP) Off New national security legislation being rushed through the UK 's parliament could criminalise British foreign correspondents and NGO workers engaging with designated state-backed groups, experts warn. The National Security (State Threats) Bill , which is moving through its final stages in parliament this week, hands the UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood sweeping powers to designate as a threat any state-backed organisation deemed to be prejudicial to the UK's "safety and interests". Independent reviewers of terrorism legislation have warned that the bill's vague wording risks criminalising journalists and NGO workers engaging with a designated organisation and could lead to them incurring sentences of up to 14 years.