BIRMINGHAM, England

The UK on Friday proscribed Hizb ut-Tahrir as a terrorist organization, making it a criminal offence to belong to the group, or invite support for it.

The Home Office made the announcement after the House of Commons approved a draft order laid on Monday.

"This order makes belonging to Hizb ut-Tahrir or inviting support for the group a criminal offence, with a potential prison sentence of 14 years which can be handed down alongside or in place of a fine," it said in a statement.

The proscription includes the global organization, as well as all regional branches, including Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain.

Hizbut Tahrir, which claims it has a non-violent ideology, is banned in several Muslim countries including Türkiye, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.

Founded by Palestinian Taqiuddin al-Nabhani al-Filastyni in 1953, it wants to bring an alternative order to democracy and capitalism through an Islamic caliphate.