The European Union’s Court of Justice (ECJ) has ruled that Hamas, should remain in the bloc’s “terror” list, referring the case back to lower court.
ECJ judges on Wednesday overruled the General Court’s view of 2014 that the 28-nation bloc had insufficient evidence to maintain asset freezes and travel bans on Hamas.
That lower court found that the listing was based on media and Internet reports rather than solid legal arguments.
However, the ECJ said that a decision by a competent authority was only required for an initial listing, with no such condition for subsequent retention.
BREAKING: Top EU court rules Hamas should remain on terror list, refers case back to lower court. More soon on https://t.co/hGzrK2N8WC pic.twitter.com/sWVyZ3zyfW
— Al Jazeera News (@AJENews) July 26, 2017
In December 2014, the General Court said Hamas should be removed from the list because the EU’s decision to place it on the “terror” sanctions list was not the result of an independent investigation.
The European Council, in turn, appealed that finding, believing the General Court “was wrong in its assessment of the way in which the Council relied on information in the public domain”.
The EU maintains an active sanctions policy, targeting individuals, groups and states, including several other Palestinian entities.
(Aljazeera, PC, Social Media)
