Belgium: New Burqa Ban Challenged in Court

Muslim woman wearing a niqab in Yemen. Image via Wikipedia

Two Muslim women who wear full veils decided Friday to challenge the ban in the country\’s constitutional court, Belgian media reported.

“We consider the law as a disproportionate intrusion into fundamental rights such as the freedom of religion and expression,” Ines Wouters, the women’s lawyer, was quoted as saying in the newspaper La Libre.

“This measure is discriminatory,” Wouters said.

…The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner, Thomas Hammarberg, criticised burqa and niqab bans this week, saying such measures threaten to exclude women rather than liberating them.

“In fact, the banning may run counter to European human rights standards, in particular the right to respect for one’s private life and personal identity,” he said.

“The way the dress of a small number of women has been portrayed as a key problem requiring urgent discussion and legislation is a sad capitulation to the prejudices of the xenophobes.”

via Belgium\’s New Burqa Ban Challenged in Court.

If this Mr. Hammarberg would be assaulted by someone dressed in a burqa, I’m sure he would like to know who was the culprit. Oh, well, that surely would make him a dangerous xenophobe wanting to go on a murderous spree… 🙄

Related articles

• Burqa Law Goes into Effect in Belgium (israelnationalnews.com)
• Belgian burqa ban begins amid push to suspend law (ctv.ca)
• Belgium’s new burqa ban challenged in court (expatica.com)

Saudi Arabia: Catholic Human Rights group wants full probe in Rizana Nafeek case

A Catholic activist today joined human rights groups calling on the government to conduct a full probe in the case involving Sri Lankan housemaid Rizana Nafeek, who is on death row in a Saudi jail.

“Rights groups in Sri Lanka have joined hands with Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) to call on the government of Sri Lanka to conduct a full probe,” said Catholic priest Priest Father Nandana Manatunga, head of the House of Torture Victims in the diocese of Kandy.

Hong Kong-based AHRC said last week the housemaid signed a statement two years after the incident, saying she was forced to admit to the killing after being beaten up by local police, and that she signed a confession under duress.

Meanwhile, Indonesia has stopped sending maids to Saudi Arabia in protest for this execution.

Related:

• Save Rizana Nafeek (teaandpolitics.wordpress.com).

Iran: Woman’s Testimony of Rape and Torture

Found here.

Iran: blogger sentenced to 10 yrs in prison

Sakhi Rigi is a blogger who was sentenced to 20 years prison in Zahedan, in Sistan and Baluchistan province, on charges of publishing false infomation and “acts against national security.” This is the longest sentence ever passed on a blogger in Iran.

His blog was called Balouchestan Sarfaraz (Pride Baluchistan) [fa]. Rigi was arrested on 18 June, 2009, and is being held in appalling conditions in Karon prison, in Ahvaz. Torture was used to extract a confession. Adding to his bad luck, is that he has the same surname asAbdolmalek Rigi, the late head of the Balochi armed opposition group Jundallah, which in the eyes of the authorities implicates him.

Human Rights Activists Agency reports [fa] that:

… the blogger is 31 years old and was arrested six days after presidential election in 2009 and was jailed in solitary cell for seven months… he was studying in university and had just few months to end his studies… it seems his posts played a role in his jail sentence.

More here.

Canada: mosque supports stoning, amputations

Image via Wikipedia

The Khalid Bin Al Walid Mosque is located on Bethridge Rd. in Etobicoke, near the neighborhood now known as “Little Somalia” and serves that community. I live in Etobicoke, so does Mayor Ford, in fact I grew up here. I attended high school at what was then known as Keiller MacKay Collegiate. The old neighborhood sure has changed.

So what has unfettered immigration and the lie of multiculturalism brought to our fair city? Read this document entitled “Violations of Islam” published on the Khalid Mosque web site and judge for yourself.

Here are a some highlights.

(b) To say that enforcing the punishments prescribed by Allah, such as cutting off the hand of a thief or stoning an adulterer, is not suitable in this day and age.

Supporting and aiding polytheists against the Muslims. 

My Favourite; To believe…”that lslam is the cause of the backwardness of Muslims.”

More here.

K aka Kel has left here a video about this mosque.

Larijani: “retaliation and punishment are beautiful and necessary”

Mohammad-Javad Larijani. Image by cfarivar via Flickr

On May 1, Mohammad-Javad Larijani — head of the human rights council in Iran’s judiciary — participated in a conference where he offered his analysis regarding Iranian penal laws, which he claims are being attacked and criticized by international human rights organizations.

He said that retaliation, the cutting off of hands and feet, the removal of a “defendant’s” eye, and even stoning were a very real part of Iranian judicial law:

The problem is that these Westerners go on and on about their own laws. The interpretation of laws in Iran is based on Islam and our constitution. We have made concessions to some of the international demands, but we have our own laws and we will carry them out as interpreted.

Retaliation and punishment are beautiful and necessary things. It’s a form of protection for the individual and civil rights of the people in a society. The executioner or the person carrying out the sentence is in fact very much a defender of human rights. One can say that there is humanity in the act of retaliation.

In the past he defended stoning as a “lesser punishment than execution because you have a chance to survive“.

Child brides

In India, the girls will typically be attached to boys four or five years older, an investigation in the June issue of National Geographic magazine has found. But in Yemen, Afghanistan, Ethiopia and other countries with even higher rates of marriage at an early age, the husbands may be young men, middle-aged widowers or even abductors who rape first and claim their victims as wives afterwards.

'Whenever I saw him, I hid. I hated to see him': Tahani (in pink) was just six years old when she she married Majed, 25 (standing next to her). The young wife posed for this portrait with former classmate Ghada, also a child bride, outside their mountain home in Hajjah, Yemen

Read more.

UK: “Christmas is evil”, Muslim extremists say

Can we imagine what would happen in any Muslim country to some Christians who would make a campaign like this?

Evil of Christmas, by 27-year-old Abu Rumaysah, who once called for Sharia Law in Britain at a press conference held by hate preacher leader Anjem Choudary

Found here.

Afghanistan: Red Cross abandons long-time employee Sayed Musa, accused of apostasy

Saed Musa is that ex-Muslim, convert to Christianity, who has been working for Red Cross for 15 years.

Said Musa

International Christian Concern (ICC) has learned that the Red Cross in Afghanistan (ICRC) has not intervened on behalf of a long-term employee who was arrested and imprisoned because he is Christian. This, despite that the Red Cross mandate includes “visiting prisoners” and “helping victims of conflict and internal violence, whoever they are.”

Read here. Tx to here.

Background: 1, 2, 3.

More information and photo: here.

Sinai: Two Orthodox deacons killed by Bedouin human traffickers

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW) has received reports that two Orthodox deacons were murdered by people traffickers in the Sinai Desert on 11 December.

The two deacons were singled out for punishment because their captors believed they were instrumental in alerting human rights NGOs of the plight of over 250 refugees and asylum seekers from Eritrea, Sudan, Somalia and Ethiopia who have been imprisoned for over a month in degrading conditions by Bedouin people traffickers in the Sinai Desert. The traffickers are demanding payment of up to US$8,000 per person for their release despite charging them US$2,000 for passage to Israel.

The deacons were among 100 Eritrean refugees who had been separated from the group on 10 December. Prior to the move, the traffickers tore up the refugees’ religious materials and assaulted them severely for failing to make the ransom payments. Agenzia Habeshia also reports that others in the group were beaten, tortured and forced to drink their own urine after being denied water. There are also reports of organ harvesting and of some pregnant women being forced to undergo abortions.

via Press releases – Christian Solidarity Worldwide.

Found here.

Background.

China: ‘slaves’ given dog food

A man was arrested in western China after eight mentally ill people were forced to work in a building materials factory without pay and protective clothing and given dog food to eat.

“We are going to rescue them and help them with their rights,” said a civil affairs official in Xinjiang province.

Chinese media reports said 11 workers were sold to the factory to work without pay.

The state-run Global Times reported that a man named Zeng Lingquan was held and accused of selling the workers to the Jiaersi Green Construction Material Chemical Factory. The report did not say if anyone from the factory had been arrested.

I repeat: they were sold to work without pay. Does that mean there is market in China of people that are sold to work without pay (=as slaves)?

Second question: if true, why anyone from the factory has been arrested? Who bought them?

BBC reports that this situation could have lasted for several years.

Sudan: protestors against woman’s flogging, arrested

A YouTube video of Sudanese police officers laughing as they publicly flogged a pleading, fleeing woman has sparked outrage, prompting dozens of demonstrators to protest Tuesday outside the Justice Ministry in downtown Khartoum, authorities said.

The demonstrators belonged to the Women Initiative Against Violence, and 52 of them — 46 women and six men — were arrested for unlawful assembly, the Khartoum State Police Force said in a statement.

All 52 persons were released under bail, police said.

And how about arresting the policemen who flogged the woman?

Background.

Iran: Iranian-born Saeed Malekpour sentenced to death on “Internet offences” charges

Saeed with his wife, back in Canada

An Iranian-born Canadian resident has been sentenced to death after spending two years in an Iranian prison, his supporters have learned. Supporters of Saeed Malekpour say the 35-year-old man has been tortured and forced to confess to “Internet offences” since he was arrested while visiting his ailing Iranian father in 2008.

via Celestial Junk: Behold the Peace of Islam.

Here is the letter he wrote to Iranian Judiciary about the torture he has endured. An excerpt:

While I remained blindfolded and handcuffed, several individuals armed with their fists, cables, and batons struck and punched me. At times, they would flog my head and neck. Such mistreatment was aimed at forcing me to write what the interrogators were dictating and to compel me to play a role in front of the camera based on their scenarios. Sometimes, they used extremely painful electrical shock that would paralyze me temporarily. Once in October 2008, the interrogators stripped me while I was blindfolded and threatened to rape me with a bottle of water.

Reat it all. It’s a miracle he is still alive.

More information here (only till Nov 1st, 2010), here.

PS: He is a Permanent Resident of Canada. Correction made.

Sudan: woman flogged savagely on the street

Watched here.

I’m not even considering the causes for this brutality, carried out in the open and without anyone putting a stop on it. I can’t really express how I feel each time I see videos or images of violence carried out against unarmed citizens. We’ll see if the investigation they have promised to do will have any results or not.

Pakistan: Two sisters murdered in honor

Police have registered a murder case of two sisters, murdered in honor killing, and handed over the bodies to the heirs after post-mortem.

… According to details, accused Mumtaz shot dead his two cousins 16-year-old Nadra and Khursheer, 18 in honor killing.

The police shifted the bodies to DHQ hospital for autopsy. Bodies remained outside post-mortem house for eight hours owing to absence of doctors and other paramedical staff.

Later, Kot Mubarak police handed over the bodies of the deceased to the heirs and registered a murder case against accused Mumtaz.

via Two sisters murdered in honor – GEO.tv.

Stop Honour Kilings and Pakistan News Blog also report on the issue but haven’t any other information.

Pakistan: assasination of Asia Bibi in prison, feared

Asia Bibi

The complaint by the Foundation is fully supported by Ansar Burney, renowned Pakistani Muslim intellectual and former Federal Minister for Human Rights in Pakistan. Burney sent a letter to President Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani asking to increase security measures for Asia Bibi and prosecute all those who have invited the militants to kill her. As it says in the letter, a copy of which was sent to Fides, Burney is very concerned that Asia Bibi (or other members of her family) could be killed in custody or during the appeal process. Burney strongly urges the government to stop “the elements that have openly announced their intention to kill her,” thereby committing a crime, and notes that “because of widespread lawlessness and the weakness of the Government, the extremists may very easily carry out summary executions outside the law in the name of Islam.” There are already 33 people, accused of blasphemy, who have been killed in jail or during the process,” records Burney, “as happened to two brothers, Rashid and Sajid Emmanuel, gunned down in front of the court in Faisalabad in July 2010 (see Fides 20 and 21/07/2010). 

The “Human Rights Commission of Pakistan”, a prestigious local NGO, also remarked in a statement to Fides on the International Day for Human Rights, that “the rise of militancy and religious intolerance is a threat to human rights in the Country.” Asia Bibi’s death sentence for blasphemy, the Commission notes, is evidence “of the threats faced by citizens, based on an unjust law, and the selective application of these laws.” Furthermore, putting out an offer for her head, “lacks legal action, incitement to murder notwithstanding.”

Background:

1. Pakistan: Christian woman sentenced to death for blasphemy.
2. Pakistan: your signature to save Asia Bibi.
3. Asia Bibi: Pope appeals for “full freedom“.
4. Pakistan: Asia Bibi NOT pardoned, protests are announced in case she is.
5. Pakistan: Both Minister of Minorities and Punjab Governor threatened by Islamists over Asia Bibi’s release.
6. Pakistan: Taliban-linked cleric offers $5,800 reward for anyone who kills Asia Bibi.
7. Pakistan: Taliban-linked cleric offers $5,800 reward for anyone who kills Asia Bibi (II).
8. Pakistan: court orders government not to change blasphemy law.
9. Pakistan: “If they don’t hang Asia Bibi, we will kill her”.

Pakistan: Arrested Christian Rights activist Hector Aleem needs money

I received yesterday this message from his son:

greetings my dear friends
as i asked you before to help us in collecting funds for my dad Hector Aleem but no body has replied me yet. Guys i am not asking very big amount just any amount you can afford just skip one burger from your daily life and send that amount to our pay pal that will help us alot. and also tell your fiends and other relatives, Actually we need funds before 20th April. Just imagine you are walking in our shoes and your dad waiting for justice and if you do not pay for his lawyer he could be killed any time in jail…. just imagine. this is our situation, contribute a little. please today you give us tomorrow God will give you more you have today. I am waiting for your response. please help us.

You can send him money by PayPal clicking here.

I wrote about him here.

Christian human rights activist and director of NGO Peace Worldwide, Hector Aleem, was taken into custody in January 2009 because a militant Islamic group accused him of sending a ‘blasphemous’ text message from his cell phone. If convicted, he faces the death penalty under Pakistani law.
Prior to the 55-year-old’s arrest, Aleem was threatened by Islamic groups with assassination attempts and lawsuits because he objected to the illegal destruction of a church by Islamabad’s capital development authority (CDA). Muslim leaders threatened to kill him and his sons, and to forcibly convert his daughters to Islam.
Although a heart patient, Aleem has not been allowed to consume his medication and he has been denied visitation in prison. He was denied bail because Islamic mobs filled his trial courtroom and threatened to kill the judge, Aleem, and Aleem’s lawyer.
Aleem is the recipient of a peace award by Pakistan’s Prime Minister.

His Facebook page is here.

Morocco: "Christian Proselitism is Terrorism", 7000 ulemas say

Image by franz88 via Flickr

Read at El País:

7000 Moroccan ulemas (Qu’ram scholars) reject in a message, Christian proselitism in their country and consider it even as “a moral rape” and as “religious terrorism”, when it tries to “divert Moroccan children from their faith”.

The message published this week-end is the last phase in a campaign undertaken by the Moroccan authorities against foreign Christians living in Morocco. The latter are accused of proselitism and of attempting to break Muslims’ faith a crime punished by the Moroccan Criminal Code.

Last March 70 Christians were forced to exit the country, according to the numbers published by several churches, but the Moroccan Home Ministry only acknowledged the expulsion of 16 who run a little orphanage in Ain Leuh, in the Atlas’ range.

The Christian victims of the Home Ministry’s decision are all protestans, except for a Franciscan friar who lived in Larache. He is the first Catholic ever expelled from North Morocco, according to the Tangier’s Archbishopric whose speaker has denied that he did proselitism. Instead he was looking after a very tiny community of Christians in that city.

The ulemas express their “total support and great pried” of those who sign it in front of the “historic decisions taken by the public powers to abort the hypocrite plan of a group of proselytizing Christians”.  Their behaviour towards children, it continues, “is a moral rape, a form of religious terrorism and is similar to the kidnapping of little innocent children”.

“These firm decisions”, it ends, “soothe (us) about the confesional future of the nation protected by the Divine Providence and which is ensured by His Majesty Mohammed VI, the Believers’ Commander, as the defender of the faith (…)”. The text of the Islam scholars was published by its higher hierarchical body, the Ulema’s Superior Coumcil, whose president is the King.

Rabat and Tangier’s Archbishoprics, Rabat’s nuncio and the official representative of the Protestant churches in Morocco have asked for explanations to the authorities about the expulsions. But till now, they have obtained non. Some Moroccans who have converted to Christianism have been victims in March of police harrasment.

At least two Government, US and the Netherlands, have critizised the measures taken by Moroccan authorities. But the Spanish one, who is the EU President now, hasn’t. The more numerous expulsions were carried out during the first week.end of March when the first summit between the EU and Morocco, supported by Spain, was being held in Granada.

Yep, because EU and Morocco were negotiating the “united economic space“. Then Rodríguez Zapatero will claim they defend Human Rights. Hah!

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• US dismayed after Morocco expels Americans (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Yemen: Rights group calls on Govt and rebels to investigate war crime allegations amid truce

Image via Wikipedia

Yemen’s government and the Shiite rebels it fought for years should investigate allegations they both committed war crimes and hold perpetrators to account, a human rights group urged Wednesday.

The government reached a cease-fire agreement with the northern Hawthi rebels in February. New York-based Human Rights Watch said the truce contains no accountability provisions, however, and called on both sides to investigate the allegations.

The report released in Dubai outlines a series of alleged abuses based on interviews conducted with civilians and aid workers.

Allegations include indiscriminate bombing and shelling by government forces, and a list of accusations including on-the-spot executions and the use of human shields by rebels.

The rights group accuses both sides of using child soldiers.

via Rights group calls on Yemen and rebels to investigate war crime allegations amid truce.

It has been even claimed that both Yemen and Saudi Arabia have used white phosphorus against civilians in the area, but as Israel is nowhere near, there have been no reports and no general condemnations.

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• Rights group urges war crimes probe in Yemen war (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Yemen: 13 Year Old Bride Dies after suffering rupture in sexual organs and hemorrhaging

Image via Wikipedia

Some weeks ago, there was a demonstration of women against a ban on child marriages.

A 13-year-old Yemeni girl who was forced into marriage died five days after her wedding when she suffered a rupture in her sex organs and hemorrhaging, a local rights organization said Thursday.Ilham Mahdi al Assi died last Friday in a hospital in Yemen‘s Hajja province, the Shaqaeq Arab Forum for Human Rights said in a statement quoting a medical report.

She was wedded the previous Monday in a traditional arrangement known as a “swap marriage,” in which the brother of the bride also married the sister of the groom, it said.

via The Jawa Report: 13 Year Old Bride Dies in Yemen.

Well, the husband must be a brute because I am sure she was really hurt after such a sexual encounter. But of course, why should he stop? In the end, she was no more than a woman… of no good quality at all. She died so soon…

Sarcasm off. I am really angry now. 😡

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• 13-year-old Yemeni bride dies of bleeding (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Yemeni bride ‘bleeds to death’ (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Top Yemeni clerics oppose ban on child brides (seattletimes.nwsource.com). Yeah, but nobody is calling for their prosecution in the ICC, true?