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Opinion: Austria's anti-terror laws are turning journalism about Palestine into a crime
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<span class="field field-title">Opinion: Austria's anti-terror laws are turning journalism about Palestine into a crime</span>
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<div class="field field-field-text"><p>The case of the <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/palestine" target="_blank">Palestinian</a> journalist Mustafa Ayyash shows how Austria's expanding use of anti-terror legislation is blurring the line between journalism, political expression and alleged support for, or membership of, a proscribed organisation.</p>
<p>Ayyash, the founder of the news network Gaza Now, has been held in pre-trial detention in Austria since <a href="https://www.jungewelt.de/artikel/512833.repression-pal%C3%A4stina-em-gaza-now-em-gr%C3%BCnder-ausgeliefert.html" target="_blank">November 2025</a>. His case raises broader questions about how provisions of the Austrian criminal code are being interpreted and applied in relation to <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/countries/israel" target="_blank">Israel's</a> ongoing <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/topics/israel-genocide-gaza" target="_blank">genocide in Gaza</a>.</p>
<p>In Austria, you do not necessarily have to formally join a criminal or terrorist organisation or take part in its actions to be investigated as a member. Under <a href="https://www.ris.bka.gv.at/eli/bgbl/1974/60/P278/NOR40194052" target="_blank">Section 278</a> of the criminal code, it is enough that the person knew their actions were furthering the organisation or its crimes.</p>
<h3>Read more: <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/austria-anti-terror-laws-turning-journalism-about-palestine-crime">Austria's anti-terror laws are turning journalism about Palestine into a crime</a> <em>Opinion by <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/users/klaudia-wieser" title="View user profile.">Klaudia Wieser</a> and <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/users/mohammad-aburous" title="View user profile.">Mohammad Aburous</a></em></h3>
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<div alt="A man holds a Palestinian flag beside a sign reading 'Do not give up Gaza' during a protest in Vienna on 12 May 2026 (Radek Mica/AFP)" data-embed-button="file_browser" data-entity-embed-display="image:image" data-entity-embed-display-settings="{" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="05580807-aabf-4f9b-ac41-39b578cdd641" data-langcode="en" class="embedded-entity"> <img src="https://www.middleeasteye.net/sites/default/files/gaza%20protest%20vienna%20.png" width="1395" height="782" alt="A man holds a Palestinian flag beside a sign reading 'Do not give up Gaza' during a protest in Vienna on 12 May 2026 (Radek Mica/AFP)" typeof="foaf:Image" fetchpriority="high">
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<figcaption>A man holds a Palestinian flag beside a sign reading 'Do not give up Gaza' during a protest in Vienna on 12 May 2026 (Radek Mica/AFP)</figcaption>
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