Richard Medhurst

Richard Medhurst was born in Damascus, Syria, on 20 August 1992 to a Syrian mother and a British father. Both of his parents served as United Nations Peacekeepers, partaking in missions in Angola, Lebanon, Syria, India and Kashmir. In 1988, they—along with the entire Peacekeepers force—were awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize "for preventing armed clashes and creating conditions for negotiations".{{Cite web|title=Nobel Peace Prize 1988|url=https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1988/summary/|access-date=30 March 2025|website=The Nobel Prize|language=en}} His father, Paul Medhurst, is a doctor of political science, published author{{cite book|author=Medhurst, Paul|date=2002|title=Global Terrorism|publisher=UN Institute for Training and Research|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WmbMzQEACAAJ|access-date=30 March 2025}} and a retired professor who formerly taught at American Military University.{{Cite web|title=Undergraduate Faculty|url=http://www.amu.apus.edu/Academics/Faculty/UndergraduateFaculty.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050508014948/http://www.amu.apus.edu/Academics/Faculty/UndergraduateFaculty.htm|archive-date=8 May 2005|access-date=30 March 2025|website=American Military University|language=en-US}} He has stated that due to his parents' work, he was moved around often and that his entire secondary school education was completed in French.

In 2006, Medhurst created his eponymous YouTube channel. Since 2019, he has uploaded videos covering a myriad of topics, initially centring mostly on United States politics but later shifting to international affairs, with a particular focus on the Middle East and Muslim world as a whole. In 2022, he received the Silver Playbutton after reaching 100k subscribers on the platform. Medhurst has been demonetised on two different occasions, once in July 2020 with the website citing reused content and again in October 2023 in the early stages of the Gaza war for claimed non-compliance with the site's Partner Programme Policies. In both instances, Medhurst denounced YouTube's actions, claiming discrimination and the unjust theft of his primary source of income based on his unfavourable coverage of Israel. Following his latest demonetisation, Medhurst moved much of his coverage to Rumble, remaining on YouTube only to discuss topics he is not concerned will garner retaliation from the platform.{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaaoczTACSQ|title=URGENT: YouTube Demonetized Me|author=Thomas Medhurst, Richard|date=5 July 2020|access-date=30 March 2025|via=YouTube}}{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bImV00lC4Q8|title=YouTube Deleted My Reports on Gaza-Israel, Then Demonetized My Channel|author=Thomas Medhurst, Richard|date=19 October 2023|access-date=30 March 2025|via=YouTube}} YouTube has not commented on the matter publicly.

Outside of YouTube, Medhurst has written for multiple outlets including Al Mayadeen, The New Arab{{Cite web|last=Medhurst|first=Richard Thomas|title=Israel's team lineup is full of soldier-footballers. FIFA's failure to ban it makes it complicit in genocide|url=https://www.newarab.com/opinion/fifas-failure-ban-israel-makes-it-complicit-gaza-genocide|date=19 July 2024|access-date=30 March 2025|website=The New Arab|language=en-US}} and RT. He has appeared on Al Jazeera,{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tDBfVAJwPA|title=Are restrictions on pro-Palestine speech 'the new McCarthyism?' |author=Clemons, Steve|date=8 September 2024|access-date=30 March 2025|via=YouTube}} FOX News{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCT4oUgO5Zw|title=Richard Medhurst FOX News Interview on Iran and Israel|author=FOX News|date=14 April 2024|access-date=30 March 2025|via=YouTube}} and LBC. From 2020 to 2022, Medhurst hosted his own show The Communiqué with Richard Medhurst on PressTV.{{Cite web|last=Medhurst|first=Richard Thomas|title=The Communiqué with Richard Medhurst|url=https://www.presstv.ir/Section/150102|access-date=30 March 2025|website=PressTV|language=en-US}}

Medhurst identifies as a Syrian Christian. He is a staunch critic of the Israeli government as well as the pro-Israel lobby in the U.K and in the U.S, lambasting Zionism as being antithetical to true Christianity.{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08NoMx1vS4w|title=You Can't Be Christian and Support Israel (Zionism Exposed)|author=Thomas Medhurst, Richard|date=20 March 2024|access-date=30 March 2025|via=YouTube}}

Throughout his career, Medhurst has castigated western policy towards Syria. In the wake of the 2024 fall of the Assad government, he has decried the new regime under Ahmed al-Sharaa as being subservient to the interests of Israel and al-Qaeda.{{cite tweet|number=1867042557055688759|user=richitmedhurst|title=I was born and baptized in Syria. As a Christian and a journalist I have more interest than most in seeing Syria respect freedom of religion and freedom of the press. Syria is secular. And those who celebrate it being turned into an Islamic Caliphate run by Al Qaeda, Israel and NATO are delusional or Zionists and imperialists.|author=Thomas Medhurst, Richard|date=11 December 2024}}

Medhurst has advocated for the implementation of progressive economic policies such as universal healthcare in the U.S.{{Cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pfy8fKcXxZE|title=Ben Shapiro: American Healthcare Is Great if You Ignore All the Death|author=Thomas Medhurst, Richard|date=14 September 2019|access-date=30 March 2025|via=YouTube}}

On 15 August 2024, Medhurst was arrested at Heathrow Airport in London, United Kingdom, under the Section 12 of the U.K’s Terrorism Act 2000. The section, “makes it an offense to invite support for a proscribed organization; express an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organization and in doing so is reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organization; or to arrange, manage or assist in arranging or managing a meeting in support of a proscribed organization...”{{Cite web|last=Tape|first=Nurah|date=20 August 2024|title='Political Persecution' – Journalist Richard Medhurst Arrested under UK Terrorism Act|url=https://www.palestinechronicle.com/political-persecution-journalist-richard-medhurst-arrested-under-uk-terrorism-act/|access-date=30 March 2025|website=Palestine Chronicle|language=en-US}} Medhurst was removed from a plane by five plainclothes officers and one wearing tactical gear before being moved to a police station for interrogation. He was not allowed to contact his family during his incarceration. Medhurst said of the incident, “I reject what the police said about me and their claims. I’m not engaged in terrorism. That’s really ridiculous.”​​​​​​​{{Cite web|last=Bir|first=Burik|date=1 July 2020|title='Trying to make an example out of me': British journalist fears UK using his arrest to silence dissent|url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/europe/-trying-to-make-an-example-out-of-me-british-journalist-fears-uk-using-his-arrest-to-silence-dissent/3314071|access-date=30 March 2025|website=Anadolu Agency|language=en-US}} Medhurst's arrest was condemned by the National Union of Journalists and the International Federation of Journalists in a joint-statement, with the organisations remarking, “Richard Medhurst’s arrest and detention for almost 24 hours using terrorism legislation is deeply concerning and will likely have a chilling effect on journalists in the UK and worldwide, in fear of arrest by UK authorities simply for carrying out their work. Both the NUJ and IFJ are shocked at the increased use of terrorism legislation by the British police in this manner. Journalism is not a crime. Powers contained in anti-terror legislation must be deployed proportionately – not wielded against journalists in ways that inevitably stifle press freedom. We will continue to monitor this case and urge the authorities to provide urgent clarity as to the nature of this ongoing investigation.”{{Cite web|last1=Stanistreet|first1=Michelle|last2=Bellanger|first2=Anthony|date=3 September 2024|title=NUJ and IFJ statement on arrest of Richard Medhurst|url=https://www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj-and-ifj-statement-on-arrest-of-richard-medhurst.html|access-date=30 March 2025|website=National Union of Journalists|language=en-UK}}

Medhurst was arrested again on 3 February 2025, this time by Austrian authorities who raided his home and accused him of affiliations with Hamas. His studio was searched extensively and his electronic devices were seized. The NUJ and IFJ again sharply criticised his arrest, with the NUJ saying, "We have repeatedly voiced our concern over the chilling effect caused by the targeting of journalists using anti-terror legislation. The latest investigation into Richard Medhurst will no doubt leave journalists worried about approaches being adopted by international governments. We need greater transparency from both the British and Austrian police and call once more, for the proportionate use of police powers. No journalist at home or abroad should fear detention or their ability to protect sources simply for carrying out their duties." The IFJ meanwhile opined that, “The arrest of Richard Medhurst in Austria is an alarming and unacceptable attack on press freedom. This detention not only violates Medhurst's fundamental rights as a journalist but also undermines the core principles of democracy. We stand in unwavering solidarity with Richard and all journalists who face persecution for doing their job. We remind governments everywhere that a free and independent press is essential to a free society."{{Cite web|last1=Davison|first1=Laura|last2=Bellanger|first2=Anthony|date=13 February 2025|title=Targeting of journalists of grave concern, say NUJ and IFJ|url=https://www.nuj.org.uk/resource/nuj-and-ifj-statement-on-arrest-of-richard-medhurst.html|access-date=30 March 2025|website=National Union of Journalists|language=en-UK}}

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• {{Official website|https://www.richardmedhurst.com/}}

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Category:1992 births

Category:Living people

Category:British people of Syrian descent

Category:Syrian Christians

Category:Syriac Christians

Category:21st-century British journalists

Category:People from Damascus

Category:Writers from Damascus

Category:British columnists

Category:British podcasters

Category:British political activists

Category:British political commentators

Category:British political writers

Category:British activists for Palestinian solidarity