Austria

  • Austrian Universities are trying to evade new Freedom of Information law – shielding complicity in Israel’s genocide from public scrutiny

    In collaboration with Palestine solidarity activists, student groups, university workers and lawyers organizing on the ground in Austria, the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) has been submitting freedom of information requests to some of the largest universities and research institutions about their agreements and cooperation with Israeli public bodies, universities and companies, but have so far only received evasive and obstructive responses.

  • ELSC takes the Vienna municipality’s SLAPP case against BDS Austria to the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) 

    ELSC Takes Vienna’s Anti-BDS SLAPP Case to European Court of Human Rights
    The European Legal Support Center (ELSC) is taking legal action at the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) after Austria’s Supreme Court rejected an appeal by a BDS Austria activist. The case concerns a Facebook post deemed defamatory by the City of Vienna, which has used SLAPP tactics to suppress Palestine solidarity. ELSC argues this violates the right to freedom of expression and assembly, and warns of a broader trend of legal repression across Europe.

  • ELSC Newsletter: March 2025

    In March 2025, ELSC defended students’ protest rights in the UK, challenged workplace repression in Germany, and supported legal action in Italy and beyond. From major court rulings to FOI campaigns and new resources for activists, this issue highlights key wins and ways to keep mobilising for Palestinian rights across Europe.

  • ELSC Newsletter: February 2025

    In February 2025, ELSC secured a final victory in the Speakap discrimination case, challenged anti-Palestinian repression in Germany and Austria, and spotlighted student rights in Britain. This issue also covers urgent updates on state repression, solidarity events, media coverage, and new resources to defend Palestine advocacy across Europe.

  • ELSC Newsletter: January 2025

    In January 2025, ELSC launched major legal actions across Europe, including a corporate complaint against Axel Springer and new evidence against Booking.com. From legal wins in Milan to school repression in Berlin, we continue defending the Palestine solidarity movement. Read the latest updates, resources, and how you can join the fight.

  • ELSC Newsletter: November 2024

    In November 2024, ELSC secured key legal victories, including Dana Abu Qamar’s tribunal win and Shahd Abusalama’s settlement. We advanced our genocide case against the Dutch state and supported student protests and legal action in Germany and Italy. Read about our community events, legal updates, and vital resources for organisers.

  • ELSC Newsletter: October 2024

    In October 2024, ELSC filed a major lawsuit against the Dutch state for complicity in genocide, secured a legal win for Dr. Shahd Abusalama, and supported protests and repression cases across Europe. Read about our legal updates, solidarity actions, student wins, and how you can support the fight for Palestinian justice.

  • ELSC Newsletter: September 2024 

    Dear Friend,  In the past month, we’ve fought some crucial battles and secured a number of legal victories, which we bring to you in this month’s newsletter, along with some useful resources to continue mobilising for Palestine. CASE UPDATES BDS Austria: we’re going to the Supreme Court!  Do you remember our case supporting BDS Austria against…

  • ELSC Newsletter: August 2024

    In August 2024, ELSC supported landmark legal victories against repression—from fighting criminalisation of slogans in Germany to defending students and lecturers in the UK. This newsletter includes major case updates, strategic wins, and tools to push back against silencing tactics. Explore new resources and learn how to support ongoing legal actions.

  • ELSC Newsletter: July 2024

    In July 2024, ELSC celebrated key victories in the Netherlands, Britain, and across Europe—supporting students, workers, and activists facing repression. This newsletter highlights legal wins, updates on strategic cases, new resources for the movement, and events from Berlin to Milan. Stay informed and mobilised for Palestinian rights.

  • Press Release: a Palestinian-led initiative warns public officials in Europe of intention to prosecute over complicity in Israel’s crimes in Gaza.

    Amsterdam, January 22, 2024 The Justice and Accountability for Palestine Initiative has issued a stark warning to European public officials of the Austrian, French, German and Dutch governments that they could be individually liable for their role in aiding and abetting Israeli war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of Genocide through their involvement…

  • New Report Reveals Human Rights Violations Resulting from IHRA Definition of Antisemitism

    Today, the European Legal Support Center (ELSC) launches its new report “Suppressing Palestinian Rights Advocacy through the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism – Violating the Rights to Freedom of Expression and Assembly in the European Union and the UK”. The report is the first case-based account of human rights violations resulting from the institutionalisation and application of the controversial IHRA definition by the European Union and the UK. The growing concerns about the negative human rights impact of the IHRA definition, have so far been ignored by the EU. 

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    Four UN Special Rapporteurs Address Their Concerns to Austrian Authorities About Anti-BDS Resolution and Lawsuit Against Activist 

    UN Special Rapporteur (SR) on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, SR on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, SR on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association and SR on the situation of human rights defenders sent a communication to Austrian authorities, asking clarification on the City of Vienna’s anti-BDS resolution and the lawsuit the City filed against a BDS activist.  

  • ELSC Newsletter: September 2022

    This month, at least three cases confirmed, again, that public pressure and collective support, sometimes coupled with litigation, constitute a great tool to achieve our rights as advocates for Palestinian rights!

  • Palestinian Academic Challenged Austrian Institutions’ Censorship Based on the IHRA Definition of Antisemitism

    Dr. Walaa Alqaisiya was brutally disinvited from the Spring Curatorial Program: Arts Geographies, taking place between 23 May and 1 June 2022 and organised by the Mumok Museum, the Academy of Fine Arts of Vienna and cultural organisation Verein K. Thanks to collective efforts and solidarity, Walaa pushed back and pressured the cancelling institutions, with the result of having the program removed from their premises. This showed them that such discriminatory conduct cannot be without repercussions.

  • ELSC Newsletter: June 2022

    This month, at least three cases confirmed, again, that public pressure and collective support, sometimes coupled with litigation, constitute a great tool to achieve our rights as advocates for Palestinian rights!

  • ELSC Newsletter: May 2022

    This month, we achieved an important victory as a German court ruled in favour of scholar Dr. Anna Younes in digital surveillance case.

  • ELSC Newsletter: April 2022

    This month was marked by the launch of the campaign in support of German-Palestinian scholar Dr. Anna Younes. She is a German Palestinian academic who has been subjected to several disinformation campaigns and surveilled. In 2019, she discovered that a secret dossier circulated about her, distorting her academic work and other data to frame her as anti-Jewish racist, sexist and as a terrorist sympathizer. After two long years of proceedings with the Berlin Data Protection Authority that failed to issue a final decision on her case, Dr. Younes is now filing two lawsuits to seek justice.

  • ELSC Newsletter: March 2022

    This month was marked by Women’s Rights Day as well as the Israeli Apartheid Week, where many students and activists organised events and protests to show solidarity with the Palestinian people and raise awareness about the Israeli apartheid. This week was not free from censorship, especially on campus, as shown by an incident in The Netherlands. We also share updates from the European Citizens’ Initiative Campaign as well as news from Germany, Austria, and a vacancy to work with us in the UK!

  • ELSC Newsletter: February 2022

    This month, we share with you some victories from the UK and Switzerland, an important analysis on German case law in favour of BDS, updates on the cases of BT3P and BDS Austria, new cases of repression in Germany and The Netherlands, and a landmark European Citizens Initiative.

  • ELSC Newsletter: January 2022

    Dear friend, This month we share with you our 2021 achievements in pushing back against silencing Palestinian rights advocacy, a campaign in support of an activist of BDS Austria sued over a Facebook post, updates on the repression of Palestinian civil society, an important ruling in Germany on the illegality of anti-BDS motion, and unfounded…

  • Public Campaign for Austrian Activist Facing Lawsuit

    A member of BDS Austria is being sued by the Municipality of Vienna for sharing a Facebook post stating: ”Visit Apartheid – Free Palestine”. The Municipality has filed a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) to deliberately repress and intimidate BDS-Austria and Palestinian rights advocates. Such a tactic threatens democratic values and fundamental rights. The hearing at the Commercial Court of Vienna will take place on the 28th of January 2022.

  • Austrian Activist Facing Lawsuit

    A member of BDS Austria is being sued by the Municipality of Vienna for sharing a Facebook post stating: ”Visit Apartheid – Free Palestine”. The Municipality has filed a strategic lawsuit against public participation (SLAPP) to deliberately repress and intimidate BDS-Austria and Palestinian rights advocates. Such a tactic threatens democratic values and fundamental rights. The hearing at the Commercial Court of Vienna will take place on the 28th of January 2022.

  • ELSC Newsletter: November 2021

    Dear friend, This month we share with you important updates on challenging Israel’s attack on Palestinian civil society and the repression of Palestinian rights advocacy in Europe including in the Netherlands and the UK, a webinar, op-eds, and other news and resources.   On the 29th of November, which marked the International Day of Solidarity with the…

  • ELSC Newsletter: October 2021

    This month we share with you news on our work to push back against the criminalisation of Palestinian civil society by Israel as well as our new report on shrinking space and Palestinian rights advocacy in the Netherlands. We also share good news from the UK where the authorities rejected unfounded allegations by a lawfare group, updates from the BT3P team who challenged the German Parliament in Court, and new job and traineeship opportunities with the ELSC.

  • ELSC Newsletter: September 2021

    This month we share with you updates on our work protecting students and Palestinian advocates in the UK, a new report on European financial support for companies involved in the Israeli settlement enterprise, exciting news on the BT3P case challenging the German Bundestag, an important step challenging EU trade with occupied territories and a victory for academic freedom for an international legal scholar.

  • ELSC Newsletter: June 2021

    This month we share with you updates from our work around Europe. In Brussels, we sent a joint letter to the EU commission challenging the political instrumentalization of the controversial IHRA definition, in the UK we assisted students and academics to challenge repression when they speak up in defence of Palestinian rights and we challenged…

  • ELSC Newsletter: May 2021

    This month we once again witnessed the brutal bombardment of Gaza and violent commission of human rights abuses by Israeli authorities and settlers. In a global response, communities worldwide rose in solidarity calling for freedom and justice in Palestine. Yet, this call was not without struggle as this month we share with you all too common stories of censorship and repression of Palestinian rights activists. We also share the news of a win in an EU court, part of the effort to stop trade with illegal settlements, as well as an update on the BT3P campaign challenging the German Bundestag’s anti-BDS motion.

  • ELSC Newsletter: April 2021

    This month, we have a few exciting victories for Palestinian rights advocacy. We recall an important success in The Netherlands, share with you a new report by Human Rights Watch detailing the crime of apartheid being committed by Israel against Palestinians, and report on the University of Toronto being censored for cancelling the employment of ELSC Advisory Board member Dr. Valentina Azarova for her human rights work.

  • ELSC Newsletter: March 2021

    In this month’s newsletter, we share with you the release of the Jerusalem Declaration on Antisemitism, welcome a new member to the ELSC advisory board and highlight our 2021 work so far and how you can help to make this an important year for the protection of Palestinian rights advocacy in Europe. JERUSALEM DEFINITION ON…