The Charity Commission has opened a compliance case into Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) UK after allegations were made that its partner organisations had links to terrorist groups.
UK Lawyers for Israel alleged that several employees of partner MSF organisations in Gaza had been members or operatives of terrorist organisations, or had publicly glorified terrorist attacks and the organisations responsible for them.
It also raised concerns about the partner organisation’s cooperation with the Gaza health ministry including its provision of medical supplies.
The commission has now opened a compliance case to assess MSF UK’s due diligence in relation to its work with and support for partner MSF organisations.
A spokesperson for the regulator said: “We take very seriously any alleged links between a charity and terrorism or unlawful extremism.
“Following concerns raised about Médecins Sans Frontières UK and its trustees’ oversight of relationships with partner organisations, some of which are alleged to have links to proscribed groups, we have opened a regulatory compliance case to examine the matter further.
“We are engaging with the charity’s trustees as we gather more information.”
A spokesperson for the charity said it would cooperate with the commission and rejected any suggestion that MSF organisations had knowingly hired anyone with links to terrorism.
“MSF would never knowingly employ anyone involved in military activities, which contradicts our core values and ethics,” they said.
“Any employee who engages in military activity would pose a danger to our staff and patients.
“We understand why the Charity Commission is engaging with us in relation to these allegations and we are cooperating fully.
“We are confident in the integrity of our processes.
“MSF remains fully committed to transparency, regulatory compliance and its charitable mission of providing vital medical assistance to people who need it most.”
