The landmark trial of a pro-Palestine activist accused of inviting support for terrorist organisations on social media “only served” to “intimidate others from using their free speech” and “waste huge amounts of taxpayers’ money”, a Minister has said after she was found not guilty.

Natalie Strecker was cleared of the two charges against her, which related to social media posts in the Royal Court this morning.

Housing Minister and Reform Jersey leader Sam Mézec said on social media that he was “hugely relieved” about the result and that he hoped the outcome would mean there were not similar prosecutions in future.

Mrs Strecker was acquitted following a landmark trial – the first of its kind in Jersey – in which prosecutors alleged that her social media posts had invited support for Hamas and Hezbollah.

While Jurats found that her language, which spoke about the “resistance”, was capable of being construed as inviting support for proscribed organisations, they were not satisfied she intended to do so and therefore found her not guilty on both counts.

But they also issued a warning about the limits of political speech under Jersey’s terrorism laws, telling people to be “very careful in what they say”.

Deputy Mézec, who has himself attended and supported events calling for an end to the conflict in Gaza, was critical of the use of Jersey’s terrorism laws in the case.

“Terrorism legislation should aim to keep us all safer,” he said. “The action against Natalie did nothing to keep anyone safer and this was obvious all along.”

He continued: “It has only served to bring hardship on an innocent woman, intimidate others from using their freedom of speech to speak out against the atrocities being committed in Gaza, and waste huge amounts of taxpayers’ money in the process.”

Deputy Mézec also expressed concern about the personal toll the trial has taken on Ms Strecker, who earlier described the experience as “traumatic and dehumanising”.

He said: “For the hurt and pain that Natalie has suffered through this injustice, I hope the authorities will now provide her all the support she needs.”

Referencing Ms Strecker’s activism, he added: “Feeling outrage at these horrors and sympathy with the victims is not a crime. It is a fundamental part of being human.”

Looking ahead, he said that “future generations will look back on this time and will find it incomprehensible that more people didn’t speak out against it.”

“Freedom of speech… on trial”?

Echoing Deputy Mézec’s concerns, Deputy Montfort Tadier, also of Reform, told Express that he felt there were “serious questions to be answered” about the case, and said he felt that it was, in fact, “freedom of speech and freedom of thought” on trial.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Beechey said that the States of Jersey Police “acknowledge the outcome of the recent court proceedings” and that they “remain committed to investigating all reported crimes thoroughly and impartially”.

Delivering the verdict this morning, Commissioner Sir John Saunders, who presided over the case, made it clear that the prosecution had been properly brought.

He noted that, after considering a submission of “no case to answer,” he found there was a case to answer and that there was evidence on which the Jurats could reasonably conclude the offences had been committed.

“Any comment to the contrary would be inappropriate and unjustified,” added Sir John.

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