The UN rights chief has slammed Britain’s ban on activist group Palestine Action as a “disturbing” misuse of UK counter-terrorism legislation and urged the government to rescind its move, according to AFP.

“The decision appears disproportionate and unnecessary,” Volker Turk said in a statement.

He said that the ban raised “serious concerns that counter-terrorism laws are being applied to conduct that is not terrorist in nature, and risks hindering the legitimate exercise of fundamental freedoms across the UK”.

“According to international standards, terrorist acts should be confined to criminal acts intended to cause death or serious injury or to the taking of hostages, for purpose of intimidating a population or to compel a government to take a certain action or not.”

But the ban among other things makes it a criminal offence to be a member of Palestine Action, to express support for the group, or to wear items of clothing that would arouse “reasonable suspicion” that the person is a member or supporter of the group, Turk pointed out.