Hawzah News Agency - Their case has raised concerns among rights groups and observers, who warn of a wider suppression of pro-Palestinian solidarity across UK campuses.

The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC), a group advocating for legal rights, has stepped in to support Ali and Listrat, presenting legal documents to the university’s misconduct panel ahead of their hearing scheduled for April 7, Arab News reported on Thursday.

The students had called for their university to divest from arms companies supplying the Israeli military—a demand echoing broader sentiments amid widespread pro-Palestinian activism in response to the Israeli war in Gaza.

Concerns about the disciplinary proceedings have been voiced by various public figures. Coventry MP Zarah Sultana described the move as an infringement on democratic freedoms, while UN Special Rapporteur Gina Romero expressed apprehension over alleged intimidation faced by the students.