UK doctor suspended for sending Islamophobic messages about Gaza to colleague

UK doctor suspended for sending Islamophobic messages about Gaza to colleague Submitted by Areeb Ullah on Fri, 04/10/2026 - 15:06 Cindy Nonoo-Cohen claimed her colleague supported Hamas, beheadings and burning of civilians for sending a petition in support of Gaza The medical tribunal ruled that Cohen sent 'deplorable' Islamophobic comments against her colleague who sent a petition in support of Gaza (AFP) Off A medical tribunal in the UK has suspended a doctor for making “deplorable” Islamophobic comments against a Muslim colleague who posted a petition criticising the British government’s support for Israel. Cinderella Nonoo-Cohen, a serving member of the European Jewish Parliament, sent a series of comments about fellow doctor Roghieh Dehghan in a WhatsApp group, prompting a referral to the General Medical Council (GMC). The Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service (MPTS) handed Nonoo-Cohen, also known as Cindy Cohen, a four-month suspension over the messages, which were sent more than two years ago in the days following the Hamas-led attacks of 7 October 2023. Nonoo-Cohen’s comments came after Dehghan shared a post asking her colleagues to “consider” signing a petition to oppose the UK Department of Health and Social Care’s decision to display the Israeli flag in support of Israel. The north London doctor responded to Dehghan’s post on the group by saying, “You should not bring politics to this group. I’m disappointed in you as a doctor. Get your facts straight first. Typical of you Muslims to gaslight.” Dehghan then messaged the admin of the WhatsApp group, labelling Nonoo-Cohen’s comments Islamophobic. Nonoo-Cohen then responded in the WhatsApp Group by saying: “What?! Remove that Dr Dehghan is an antisemitic person and believes in the barbaric acts of beheading, murdering, and burning of civilians in Israel. “And spreading lies about the hospital bomb, which Hamas inflicted on themselves” - referring to the al-Ahli hospital explosion in October 2023, where an Israeli strike led to the deaths of hundreds of Palestinian civilians in the hospital facility. The tribunal determined the messages to be “objectively” Islamophobic and described the comments as seriously offensive. It also concluded that Nonoo-Cohen had attempted to portray Dehghan as antisemitic and supportive of Hamas, which it said compounded the severity of her conduct. Messages sent in the early hours of the morning In a separate matter, the panel reviewed a post Nonoo-Cohen shared on X stating that minorities had “precedence over the Whites”. While the tribunal found the remark demonstrated racial hostility, it did not determine that it was motivated by racial or religious prejudice. 'Healthcare workers across the world were bearing witness to what is now widely confirmed as a genocide' - British Islamic Medical Association  During cross-examination, Nonoo-Cohen said she could not explain why she used the term “Muslims” in her message, suggesting it may have been a mistake. The panel, however, did not uphold allegations that Nonoo-Cohen’s behaviour stemmed from hostility towards Palestinians or their supporters. At the time of the incident, Nonoo-Cohen was working as a locum GP at a medical centre in Islington. She told the tribunal that the messages were sent in the early hours of the morning, describing them as “defensive” and “emotionally charged.” The tribunal concluded that Nonoo-Cohen’s actions amount to serious professional misconduct. While it acknowledged that she apologised, undertook some training and posed a low risk of repeating the behaviour, the panel said she had not fully demonstrated insight into the impact of her actions. The British Islamic Medical Association welcomed the tribunal’s findings but criticised how the MPTS conducted its investigation. “Healthcare workers across the world were bearing witness to what is now widely confirmed as a genocide, including by UN experts, human rights organisations, and genocide scholars,” it said. Wes Streeting accused of dog whistle politics over campaign letter Read More » “Speaking out in that context, calling for a ceasefire, or attending a demonstration, is not provocation, but a human act of conscience.” Nonoo-Cohen’s judgment comes as new rules implemented by the Department of Health could mean it will be easier for Britain’s medical regulators to suspend and strike off doctors accused of antisemitism and racism for their pro-Palestine views. Last month, UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting agreed to the biggest overhaul of Britain’s medical regulators in 40 years by proposing to give them sweeping new powers to suspend doctors more quickly. Under the proposed legislative changes, the GMC, which governs doctors, and the Professional Standards Authority, which oversees Britain’s medical regulators, will gain new powers to override decisions made by independent MPTS panels - bodies that previously acted as a check on regulatory overreach. Proposed changes include giving the GMC new powers to challenge interim decisions of the MPTS, which decides cases that the GMC prosecutes. UK Politics News Post Date Override 0 Update Date Mon, 05/04/2020 - 21:19 Update Date Override 0