A prestigious London university has decided to re-enroll an Egyptian student who was previously suspended after participating in protests in support of Palestine. Initially, the university's senior management imposed disciplinary measures that could have led to his deportation from the UK.
Osama Ghanem, aged 22, will return to King's College London (KCL) in the autumn. This comes nearly 18 months after university officials indefinitely suspended his studies and began the process of withdrawing his visa sponsorship, according to an email he received at the end of August.
This decision followed three reviews of his alleged actions during student demonstrations calling for the release of the Palestinian people from bombing and blockade in Gaza. Although the university confirmed its accusations of non-academic misconduct against Ghanem related to these actions in 2024 and 2025 in the letter, it has now informed him of the absence of 'violations' of his exclusion terms.
The letter stated: 'The established conditions have been met, and there is no reason to maintain the suspension or exclusion. Accordingly, you are invited to re-enroll for the 2026/27 academic year, and you will be granted access to King's College London.' The university also confirmed to Ghanem that it would begin the process of restoring his visa sponsorship in a separate memo sent on September 1.
Ghanem's case, which CNN covered in February, sparked public debate among some academics. They warned about perceived suppression by US and UK universities, which they believe disproportionately affects Muslim and minority students for legitimately expressing solidarity with Palestine and criticizing Israel.
Ghanem told CNN that he 'unequivocally' denies the allegations of misconduct. He noted that the review outcome set an 'enormous precedent,' adding that he will continue to pursue 'the rights of Palestinians and the fight to withdraw investments from all types of weapons and all participants in the genocide in Gaza.'
In June, an independent United Nations commission found that Israel continues to commit genocide against Palestinians by deliberately targeting children in Gaza. The Israeli government has repeatedly denied committing genocide and rejected the UN findings.
In a statement to CNN, a KCL representative said that 'Mr. Ghanem's suspension review was always planned one year after its imposition, as this is standard procedure for cases of non-academic misconduct, establishing a specific review date.' The statement continued: 'Following this review, the college determined that he met the agreed-upon suspension conditions, and that re-enrollment is an appropriate outcome. The reasons for Mr. Ghanem's initial suspension were confirmed by the college and clearly communicated to him. We always apply a fair approach to misconduct proceedings and are obliged to act where behavior violates protection and safety rules or puts others at risk.'
When CNN asked about KCL's decision to start the visa sponsorship restoration process for Ghanem, the representative replied: 'Visa sponsorship decisions are made not by King's College, but by UK Visas & Immigration, whom we are legally obliged to notify of any changes in student status.'
The Home Office, under which UK Visas & Immigration operates, has not yet responded to CNN's request for comment.
Despite Ghanem's return to KCL, the lawsuit he filed against the university continues. It alleges human rights violations, assault, bodily harm, discrimination, and persecution by KCL.
In a statement provided to CNN in January, a university representative stated that KCL students 'are not subject to disciplinary action for legitimate affiliations, including support for Palestinian-Palestinian views, or for participating in lawful protests,' adding: 'It is incorrect to assume that students with different viewpoints are treated differently.'
The allegations of non-academic misconduct confirmed by KCL include 'regulatory' and 'procedural breaches,' 'health and safety issues,' 'offensive or abusive behavior,' and 'operational obstruction,' according to the senior management letter.
Ghanem does not hold legal immigration status in a third country. After KCL initially decided to withdraw his visa sponsorship, he stated that he feared for his safety if he returned to Egypt. He had been in Britain since KCL first began withdrawing his visa sponsorship in May.
Commenting on the review results, Ghanem's British lawyer, Frank Magennis, highly praised the 'resilient legal and public efforts' of his supporters.