The current noise and distraction surrounding @misanharriman’s questioning of recent media reporting is straight out of the authoritarian playbook. Misan is a dedicated human rights defender who uses his platform to challenge injustice. A healthy society must allow space for constructive discussion and a pluralism of views. When we attempt to silence those who speak out, we erode the very foundations of a free and fair society. As Amnesty UK’s Chief Executive, Kerry Moscogiuri, stated today: “I believe we must stop this race to the bottom of division and move past the reflexive attempts to silence those who challenge power. In my view, a healthy society must allow space for constructive disagreement. Human rights are not a zero-sum game; our shared humanity is the only thing that will truly make us all safer. The escalation of hate speech and violent incidents against Jewish and Muslim communities across the UK is a direct assault on fundamental human rights and must be tackled urgently. However, when we allow one community’s trauma to be played off against another’s, we weaken the foundation of safety for everyone. To me, that should not be a controversial position to hold.”