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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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01 December 2008

PRESS RELEASE: UK – Open letter from IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh to David Miliband regarding the safety of this year’s British pilgrims to Mecca

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OPEN LETTER

01 December 2008

Open letter from Islamic Human Rights Commission Chair Massoud Shadjareh to David Miliband regarding the safety of this year’s British pilgrims to Mecca

Dear Mr Miliband,

I am very concerned about the safety of British pilgrims in the approach to this year’s Hajj season. This is particularly so in light of last year’s incident involving British pilgrims being arrested and tortured by Saudi religious police on sectarian bases in addition to the group’s nationalities. The group of eight included one American and two British minors.

Unfortunately, last summer’s torture row was merely a more highly publicised instance of the frequently reoccurring abuse experienced by pilgrims whose mode of worship does not conform to the state-approved Saudi version.

I am aware that the Foreign & Commonwealth Office has in the past raised its concern over issues of freedom of expression, movement, assembly and worship at many diplomatic levels with the Saudi authorities. Likewise, I am eager to know how the FCO plans to prevent such unlawful and deliberate targeting by the Saudi religious police from continuing and what measures have been taken to ensure the safety of British pilgrims this year.

Yours sincerely,

Massoud Shadjareh
Chair

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For more information please contact the Press Office on (+44) 20 8904 4222 or (+44) 7958 607475 email info@ihrc.org.[ENDS]

Note to Editors:

[1] Interviews will be available from 02 December 2008

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