Fundamentalisms

Saudi Arabia/Sri Lanka: Who will take responsibility for Rizana Nafeek?

(Translation from the Arabic original)We have the right as human beings to ask about the souls of other humans that are being wasted unjustly. And it is our right to in a State of law and order to ask about the rights of these souls. Follows to that the souls of all human beings, whether they belong to us or to other nations since we belong to the religion of justice, and since we worship a God who prohibited injustice on himself. I bring today the following facts about a death of a 4 months old infant. He lost his right to live due to the fact that those who were in entrusted to keep him safe and healthy did not carry their trust as should. Instead, they gave the responsibility to a young girl or in other words, a minor.

فلسطين: كاتبة فلسطينية تطالب المجتمع الدولي بالتدخل للإفراج عن مدون متهم بالإلحاد

طالبت كاتبة فلسطينية دول الإتحاد الإوروبي والولايات المتحدة واليابان بالضغط على السلطة الفلسطينية من أجل إطلاق سراح المدون وليد الحسيني المتهم بالالحاد. ودافعت زينب رشيد عن حق الحسيني في التعبير عن آرائه واستغربت قيام سلطة علمانية بالقبض عليه واعتبرت ذلك مناقض للدستور ولبيان الاستقلال.

Pakistan: Une chrétienne pakistanaise condamnée à mort pour blasphème

La justice pakistanaise vient de condamner à la peine capitale par pendaison une chrétienne coupable de blasphème. Cette sanction est une première dans l’histoire du Pakistan, selon le quotidien britannique Christian Today. Les chrétiens d’Orient vivent de sombres heures. Après la vague d’attentats en Irak perpétrés à leur encontre depuis le 31 octobre dernier, c’est au tour d‘une pakistanaise de Lahore de faire les gros titres.

Pakistan: Christian woman sentenced to death in blasphemy case

A Christian mother of five has been sentenced to death for blasphemy, the first such conviction of a woman, sparking protests from rights groups on Thursday. Asia Bibi, 45, was handed down the death sentence by a court in Nankana district in central Punjab on Monday. Pakistan has yet to execute anyone for blasphemy. Ms Asia’s case dates back to June 2009 when she was asked to fetch water while out working in the fields. But a group of Muslim women labourers objected, saying that as a non-Muslim she should not touch the water bowl.

Canada: Timeline of polygamous sect

Chronology: 1843 — Officially recorded year of Joseph Smith's revelation that Mormon men are allowed to have more than one wife.

1852 —The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reveals Doctrine and Covenant 132, which makes plural marriage legal in the eyes of the church.

1862 — U.S. Congress passes a bill prohibiting polygamy.

1879 — George Reynolds (LDS prophet Brigham Young's secretary) appeals his conviction on polygamy to the U.S. Supreme Court, saying that the law infringes his constitutional right to freedom of religion. The justices disagree and Reynolds goes to prison.

UK: Islam Channel condoned marital rape and abuse

Ofcom has ruled that Islam Channel, a London-based broadcaster, broke the broadcasting code for advocating marital rape, violence against women and describing women who wore perfume outside of the home as "prostitutes". Five programmes broadcast on the satellite TV channel were ruled to be in breach of broadcasting guidelines, the media regulator said today. Ofcom launched its investigation into the programmes, which aired in 2008 and 2009, following a report by the Quilliam thinktank that was published in March.

UK: The left fails Muslim women

Muslim women fighting for women’s rights have been largely abandoned by the left, by human rights organisations, and by anti-racist campaigners. That sums up the basic argument put forward by Gita Sahgal at a meeting held in Glasgow on 28 October as part of Black History Month 2010. Sahgal left her post of Head of Gender Unit at Amnesty International earlier this year after Amnesty had ignored her complaints about the organisation’s collaboration with Islamists (specifically, Moazamm Begg and his “Cageprisoners” organisation).

Saudi Arabia: Fatwa bars women from cashier jobs

“It is necessary to keep away from places where men congregate. Women should look for decent work that does not make it possible for them to attract men or be attracted by men,” said the statement dated Sunday. The ruling came from the Committee on Scholarly Work and Ifta, the official issuer of fatwas, or Islamic religious rulings, under the Council of Senior Scholars, the top authority for Islamic issues in the kingdom. The fatwa was in response to a question — published with the ruling — asking specifically if women should work as cashiers in markets.

Malaysia: Sisters in Islam get to keep name

Sisters in Islam (SIS) can continue using the word ‘Islam’ in its name, the High Court ruled here today. The court struck out an application by Muslim non-governmental organisation Malaysian Assembly of Mosque Youth (MAMY) to prevent SIS from using its Sisters in Islam name on grounds that the word ‘Islam’ was controlled and limited by the Registrar of Companies. Update to Malaysia: Open letter by FORUM-ASIA regarding lawsuit against SIS

السعودية: يجب وقف إعدام العاملة المنزلية

(نيويورك، 26 أكتوبر/تشرين الأول 2010) - قالت هيومن رايتس ووتش اليوم إن على الملك عبد الله ووزير الداخلية الأمير نايف، أن يأمرا بوقف إعدام ريزانا نافيك، عاملة المنازل السريلانكية المحكوم عليها بالإعدام بعد إدانتها بقتل طفل كان تحت رعايتها عندما كانت تبلغ من العمر 17 عاماً. المملكة العربية السعودية هي واحدة من ثلاث دول في العالم ما زال معروف عنها إعدام أشخاص - خلال العامين الماضيين - على خلفية جرائم يُفترض أنهم ارتكبوها وهم في سن الطفولة.