Regulator issues Official Warning to charity and disqualifies trustee over inflammatory social media activity
A charity set up to support Palestinian refugees, particularly in Lebanon, has been issued with an Official Warning after posting “divisive and inflammatory” political material on social media.
The Commission has also issued an Order disqualifying one of the charity’s trustees from being a trustee and from holding a position with senior management functions, for a period of eight years.
Palestinian Refugee Project was registered in 2021, with objects to benefit the Palestinian diaspora in refugee camps through poverty relief, advancing education, relieving sickness and providing social welfare and leisure facilities.
The Charity Commission, the regulator of charities in England and Wales, began examining the charity in December 2023, after concerns were raised about its social media activity. The regulator also identified that all of the charity’s then trustees appeared to be related, with one serving as CEO, giving rise to concerns about potential conflicts of interest.
The trustees’ responses to the Commission’s questions raised further concerns, for example, that they lacked an understanding of their legal duties and responsibilities, including the importance of trustees acting and making decisions collectively.
The regulator established that, as a result of governance failings, Mrs Taghrid Al-Mawed-Layton – who was also acting as the charity’s voluntary CEO – had sole responsibility for the charity’s social media activity and used the charity’s platforms to promote political material, which was not in furtherance of the charity’s aims, and / or was divisive and inflammatory.
This included posts that could be interpreted as downplaying acts of terrorism, and which tried to raise support for a change to Israel’s recognition as a state. The charity failed to implement a formal social media policy and the remaining trustees lacked oversight in relation to its social media activity.
The Commission has disqualified Mrs Al-Mawed-Layton for eight years due to her role in mismanagement and / or misconduct of the charity, including social media activity on behalf of the charity. The Order disqualifies Mrs Al-Mawed-Layton from being a trustee and holding a senior management position in any charity.
Joshua Farbridge, Head of Compliance Visits and Inspections at the Charity Commission said:
We found a number of serious failings at Palestinian Refugee Project, which put the charity’s finances and reputation at risk. The charity, in effect, was being run by a single trustee who either did not understand, or failed to adhere to, basic trustee duties.
It’s important to stress that the Commission does not seek to encroach on any individual’s right to freedom of speech, expression, or beliefs. And we recognise that events in the Middle East over recent months and years have been deeply emotive and distressing.
However, trustees have clear legal obligations, including to act in line with the charity’s purpose and best interests, and act reasonably and prudently. Sadly, the good aims this charity set out to achieve was seriously undermined by the conduct and failings of its trustees.
As part of its case, the regulator also established that a failure to implement financial controls meant that funds were spent without proper authorisation or controls. The charity is overdue in filing its accounts for the years ending April 2023 and 2024.
The Charity Commission’s case involving the charity will remain ongoing allowing the regulator to follow up on the remedial actions set out in the Official Warning.
Ends
Notes to editors:
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The Charity Commission is the independent, non-ministerial government department that registers and regulates charities in England and Wales. Its ambition is to be an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent so that charity can thrive. This ambition will help to create and sustain an environment where charities further build public trust and ultimately fulfil their essential role in enhancing lives and strengthening society.
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The Official Warning and disqualification order were issued as part of a regulatory compliance case into the charity, which remains ongoing. These cases allow us to gather evidence and make findings, and to help trustees address any failures or weaknesses that we might identify.
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The Charity Commission maintains a searchable register of removed trustees.
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