UK: Additional legislation on religious discrimination not required, says Siddiqui
Source:
The Muslim Parliament of Great Britain Dr. Ghayasuddin Siddiqui, Leader of the Muslim Parliament, has said that the campaign led by a section of the Muslim community for a new law on incitement to religious hatred, amidst an atmosphere of heightened expectations is unwarranted.
In his view, sufficient legal safeguards exist to cover threats or insults liable to cause disorder or distress religious groups.
A 2001 amendment to the 1998 Crime and Disorder Act extended the offence of causing alarm or distress to include cases that are racially or religiously aggravated. Mark Norwood, a BNP activist in a small town, Gobowen, in Shropshire, was convicted under this Act for displaying in his shop window a poster with the words, ‘Islam out of Britain’, alongside a photograph of the World Trade Centre in flames. More importantly, the European Court of Human Rights upheld the conviction. Perhaps all that is required is to strengthen this Act to cover racially motivated and religiously expressed incitement. This way we also avoid any accusation of infringement of freedom of speech.
He added that freedom of speech and liberty may be inconvenient at times but are values we must all uphold. The Labour Party is cynically seeking to placate Muslims by promoting fudge legislation in Parliament, which they know will not get passed.
For further information please contact Dr. Ghayasuddin Siddiqui
109 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JA
Tel: 020 8563 1995
Fax: 020 8563 1993
E-mail: muslimparliament@hotmail.com
Web: www.muslimparliament.org.uk
He added that freedom of speech and liberty may be inconvenient at times but are values we must all uphold. The Labour Party is cynically seeking to placate Muslims by promoting fudge legislation in Parliament, which they know will not get passed.
For further information please contact Dr. Ghayasuddin Siddiqui
109 Fulham Palace Road, London W6 8JA
Tel: 020 8563 1995
Fax: 020 8563 1993
E-mail: muslimparliament@hotmail.com
Web: www.muslimparliament.org.uk
