British university reinstates Egyptian student who was suspended after pro-Palestinian protests

A prestigious London university will re-enrol an Egyptian student who was suspended following his participation in pro-Palestinian protests, after senior leadership initially enforced disciplinary action that could have triggered his deportation from the UK.

Usama Ghanem, 22, will return to King’s College London (KCL) this fall, nearly 18 months after university officials indefinitely suspended him and moved to revoke his visa sponsorship, according to an email he received in late August. This followed three reviews over his alleged actions in student-led demonstrations calling for the liberation of Palestinian people from Israel’s bombing and siege in Gaza.

While the university said in the email it upheld its allegations of non-academic misconduct against Ghanem in relation to those actions, dating to 2024 and 2025, it has now informed him that there were “no breaches” of the terms of his exclusion.

“The conditions set have been met and there is no reason for your suspension or exclusion to remain in place,” the email said. “Accordingly, you will be invited to re-enrol for the 2026/27 academic year and will be permitted access to King’s College London.”

The university also confirmed to Ghanem that it would start the process of reviving his visa sponsorship, in a separate memo sent on September 1.

Ghanem’s case, which CNN covered in February, prompted public outcry from some academics, who warned against what they described as a crackdown by US and UK universities that they said disproportionately targeted Muslim students and students of color for lawful expressions of Palestinian solidarity and legitimate criticism of Israel.

Ghanem told CNN he “unequivocally” denied the allegations of misconduct.

He said the outcome of his review had set “a huge precedent,” adding that he would still press for “Palestinian rights, and the fight for divestment from all of weapons and from all complicit actors with the genocide in Gaza.”

In June, an independent United Nations commission found that Israel was continuing to commit genocide against Palestinians by deliberately targeting children in Gaza. The Israeli government has repeatedly denied committing genocide and dismissed the UN findings.

In a statement to CNN, a spokesperson for KCL said, “A review of Mr Ghanem’s suspension was always scheduled to take place one year after it was put in place, as it is standard process for non-academic misconduct cases to set a specific review date.”

“Following that review, a panel determined that he had met the conditions agreed for suspension, and that re-enrolment was now the appropriate outcome,” the statement added. “The reasons for Mr Ghanem’s original suspension were upheld by the panel and clearly communicated with him. We will always apply a fair approach to misconduct proceedings, and have a duty to act where behaviour breaches safeguarding and security regulations, or puts others at risk.”

Asked by CNN about KCL’s decision to start the process of reviving Ghanem’s visa sponsorship, the spokesperson said, “Decisions about visa sponsorship are not made by King’s but by UK Visas & Immigration, who we have a legal duty to notify of any change in student status.”

The Home Office, under which UK Visas & Immigration falls, has not yet responded to CNN’s request for comment.

Although Ghanem will be returning to KCL, a legal case he filed against the university is ongoing. It claims breaches of human rights, assault, personal injury, discrimination and harassment on the part of KCL.

In a statement provided to CNN in January, a university spokesperson told CNN that students at KCL “are not disciplined for lawful affiliations, including support for pro-Palestine views, nor for participating in lawful protests,” adding: “It is incorrect to suggest students with different perspectives are treated differently.”

The allegations of non-academic misconduct upheld by KCL involve “regulatory” and “procedural breaches,” “health and safety concerns,” “offensive or abusive behaviour” and “operational obstruction,” according to a letter sent by senior leadership.

Ghanem does not have lawful immigration status in a third country. After KCL initially moved to revoke his visa sponsorship, he said he feared for his safety if he returned to Egypt. He has remained in Britain since KCL initially moved to revoke his visa sponsorship last May.

Reflecting on the outcome of the review, Ghanem’s UK lawyer, Franck Magennis, praised “sustained legal and public efforts” by supporters.