A Muslim woman living in Oldham has ended her legal dispute against her former employer Citizens Advice after she was sacked from her role, allegedly because of her pro-Palestine views amid the Gaza genocide.
The 43-year-old mum-of-three, Afshan Abubakar, had her contract as a trainee consultant for Citizens Advice terminated on November 17, 2023, following a welfare meeting.
In her termination of employment letter, it was cited that her employment had been ended for “inappropriate behaviour.” The letter also claims that her actions had been “offensive and wholly inappropriate,” among other reasons.
Afshan claimed that she had been “discriminated against” and that one of the reasons for her sacking was because she spoke up about Palestine and referred to events in Gaza as a “genocide.”
Following a lengthy legal battle over claims of unfair dismissal, the legal team behind Afshan’s case released a press statement on April 9, 2026.
“Afshan has withdrawn an Employment Tribunal claim relating to her former employment with Citizens Advice SORT Group. Mrs Abubakar was employed as a debt adviser between August 2022 and November 2023. Following termination of her employment, she submitted a claim to the Employment Tribunal alleging unfair dismissal and discrimination. The case had been scheduled for a ten-day hearing in March 2026.
“The withdrawal of the claim brings the legal process to a close. During October 2023, Mrs Abubakar was absent from work due to personal and family circumstances connected with the presence of her Palestinian husband and various of her students in the Gaza strip. Mrs Abubakar has confirmed that she will not be making any further comment.”
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It remains unclear what the reason is for Afshan’s decision to end her dispute but it is possible that Afshan may have been compensated. Her legal team declined to comment on the matter any further. 5Pillars has not been able to verify the exact reason her legal bid has ended.
5Pillars also reached out to Citizens Advice for comment on the story but have so far not received a reply.
Afshan’s pro-Palestine activism
Afshan, who goes by her new name Afshan Jabeen, was embroiled in a costly battle to save the life of her new Palestinian husband, Hani Abualqaraya, who was trapped in Gaza during the Israeli attack on the strip which began following the October 7, 2023.
Hani was trapped in Gaza during the war, a conflict which has since been described as a genocide by experts and human rights groups.
Desperate and distressed, Afshan threw herself into activism, searching for a route in which her husband could be rescued from Gaza and taken to Egypt for key medical care. She launched a petition, began attending pro-Palestine demonstrations, and contacted both journalists and local politicians for help.
During this time, her activism and views on the Gaza genocide became apparent to her colleagues and bosses at work shortly before her dismissal from her role.
Speaking to 5Pillars at the time of her dismissal in 2024, Afshan alleged she had been “discriminated against” and that one of the reasons for her sacking was because she spoke up about Palestine and referred to events in Gaza as a “genocide.”
“I completely reject their baseless suggestion that I did anything abusive. I was invited into a ‘welfare’ meeting, but instead of receiving any concern for my welfare, my employer started attacking and criticising me. This made me very distressed, and I tried to assert my rights to a proper process. They then fired me without any warning… I stand by what I said. Israel is committing genocide, and I did nothing wrong by mentioning this,” Afshan told 5Pillars.
The welfare meeting was conducted after Afshan had been off sick from work due to the “stress of the situation” after Israel’s attacks on Gaza began.
Afshan’s barrister, Franck Magennis, also explained to 5Pillars at the time how he believed Citizens Advice’s conduct had been “utterly heartless.”
“This is one of the most egregious cases of unfair dismissal I have ever encountered. Instead of receiving support and understanding, Afshan was shoved out of the organisation without even the slightest regard for proper procedure. To do this at a time when her husband is trapped in Gaza, while it endures what many experts believe amounts to genocide, is utterly heartless. Her former employer owes Afshan a deep and sincere apology.”
A spokesperson for Citizens Advice Oldham was quoted in The Oldham Times, on November 23, 2024, responding to Afshan’s accusations.
“The Citizens Advice service in Oldham prides itself on being impartial; this is especially important when people and communities are experiencing difficult times. We’ll continue to support our colleagues and those who need help in this way, always endeavouring to respect everyone’s views and put our colleagues and those who need us first.
“As a charity, we value diversity. We have clear employment policies and guidelines that all staff and volunteers are expected to adhere to at all times. We don’t tolerate abusive, aggressive, derogatory, or personal conduct that is considered offensive and inappropriate.
“The policies are in line with employment law and ACAS (advisory, conciliation and arbitration service) good practice. Any staff member who feels they have been treated unfairly is able to challenge that through internal processes or an employment tribunal.”
The fate of her husband
Despite her hardship and a lengthy legal battle with Citizens Advice, Afshan succeeded in securing her husband Hani Abualqaraya safe passage out of Gaza.
Hani now lives with her and her children in Oldham, but his family remains trapped inside Gaza, with his father and mother suffering from various illnesses.
Their home has been destroyed during the war, and members of their family have also been killed during Israeli attacks on the Strip.
During his time in Gaza, he witnessed unimaginable death, destruction, and the loss of several members of his family. To date, 25 family members have been slain in Gaza, with the remaining survivors stranded in tents, struggling to survive amid harsh winter weather and continued Israeli aggression, in spite of the announcement of a truce in October 2025.
Afshan and her husband Hani are now working to secure a safe route for the remainder of their Palestinian family so they can travel to Egypt for medical treatment. They are currently struggling to survive in tents near the Rafah border crossing.
5Pillars has published Hani’s account of these harrowing experiences, which you can read here. The article also contains a link to a fundraiser for Hani’s family.
