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International Conference on Freedom of Conscience and Expression in the 21st Century

20th July 2017 admin

In April 2017 Pakistani student Mashal Khan was killed by an angry mob in the premises of his university over fake allegations of posting blasphemous content online. Sadly, Mashal’s death is not a one-off incident. Even now dissenters continue to be threatened, silenced, no-platformed, intimidated and even killed for rejecting and criticising Islam. This is why a celebration of apostasy, blasphemy and the free word are historical tasks. One Law for All and the Council of Ex-Muslims of Britain (marking its tenth anniversary) are aiming to host the largest gathering of secularists, freethinkers and ex-Muslims as…

“ISIS aren’t in England”

27th June 2017 admin

By Amina Lone My heart goes out to the families of the people killed by evil madmen. I am angry, despairing and hopeful. My English resolve keep calm and carry on kicks in. But we must do something. It’s deeds not words time. My frustrations lies in our inability to be wise, balanced or mature. Some politicians, individuals and the media, whipped into a mass of hysteria, have hijacked the debate around extremism, counter- terrorism and security. The pendulum swings from ‘Lets put everyone back on boats and send…

The right to enquiry

27th June 2017 admin

By Arshia Malik Altamira, in Spain, is a testimony to the fact that the “early people” had developed a sense of consciousness and the instinct to enquiry, judging by the inaccessible grottos and niches they crawled into just to express themselves, with the rudimentary tools and pigments their early minds had made efforts to invent. I am not sure if most of the constitutions of the world have the right to enquiry, but it seems to be an obvious truth that there should be an irrevocably, undisputed article in…

Terror attack in Finsbury Park: Call out hate speech and the “us vs them” pronouncements

20th June 201720th June 2017 admin

By Tehmina Kazi A few thoughts on Monday’s terror attack in Finsbury Park. 1. There is sometimes a crossover between terrorist attacks and hate crimes — and on the face of it, last night’s attack appears to be both. But of course, it is possible to commit a terror attack that is not a hate crime. The most widely-accepted definition of hate crime is a criminal act which is motivated by bias against the victim’s membership, perceived membership or association with a particular group that shares a fundamental characteristic (this…

Finsbury Park mosque terror attack

20th June 2017 admin

By Iram Ramzan Another day, another terrorist attack. Is there no end to the senseless violence and killings? This time, it seems the terrorist was not from the Muslim community, but a non-Muslim who apparently attacked Muslims deliberately. Police were called just after 12.20am on Monday June 19 to reports of a white van striking worshippers outside Muslim Welfare House in Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park. Witnesses said the van struck pedestrians who were tending to an elderly man who had collapsed. Here are some of the facts so far: Darren Osborne (47), of Cardiff,…

General Election: what is the colour of your X?

7th June 2017 admin

By Amina Lone It’s General Election 2017 and there is something deeply unsettling about some grassroots behaviour in regards to cultivating the ‘Muslim’ vote. Targeting specific communities has been going on since time immemorial. Every vote counts so it is understandable that showcasing how one’s party will benefit that individual or community is a sensible political strategy. The challenge is the balance between the specifics and the universal. If one plays the identity politics game and solely focuses on micro matters then the wider macro issues of the economy,…

Manchester Attacks: Spare us your crocodile tears, anti-Prevent lobby

30th May 2017 admin

By Shamim Begum I am a Muslim and, shock horror, I support Prevent, the government’s counter-terrorist strategy. I do so because I have seen the reality of Islamist extremism in my local community for years, despite the denial by so many other Muslims. When I was at university, I remember meeting Muslim women who were calling for the establishment of a caliphate while ranting on about how evil Britain is. The attack in Manchester was devastating. But last week as I shed tears for the victims, my anger was growing, in particular against what is widely…

Terror in Manchester

23rd May 201724th May 2017 admin

By Iram Ramzan A terrorist attack in my own city is the last thing I expected to wake up to on Tuesday morning. There were several messages on my phone from concerned friends and acquaintances urging me to contact them as soon as I could. I wondered what had happened, until I went online to read the news. At least 22 people were killed and 59 injured after a terrorist attack at the Manchester Arena on the evening of Monday, May 22. Thousands of gig-goers were packed into the…

Dear Aliyah – I don’t want to wear the hijab

3rd May 201717th May 2017 admin

Dear Aliyah, I was watching some of your videos and wanted your help. I have worn hijab for a few years and now I don’t want to wear it anymore. I am afraid to tell my family, I don’t want them to think I want to flirt with men or be disappointed in me. If you have any advice, please let me know, Thank you, M. – – – – Dear M, I understand that this can be a very confusing and difficult time for you. You seem conflicted about…

State of Neglect: Breaking the Silence on Sexual Abuse in Pakistan

19th April 20179th July 2019 admin

By Ammara Mustafa This is a cross-post from Daily Times Why does the State not take it upon itself to pursue cases of sexual assault? Does the fault lie in the judicial system or is it a deeper malaise? A child is full of curiosity, wonder and excitement when he or she opens their eyes into this new and alien world. A child who learns to walk by holding their parents’ hands and then later takes their first steps towards formal learning in educational institutions is a vulnerable being…