IHRC is deeply concerned at the message being sent out by Zaki Badawi’s attributed statement that Muslim women should remove their hijab to avoid being attacked in the wake of 7/7.

The devastating rise in faith hate crimes post 7/7 cannot simply be linked to the wearing of hijab. Whilst incidents against Muslim women have risen, it is worth noting that there have been many complaints both by women who do not wear hijab and also women who are not Muslim but who have been mistaken to be Muslim.

Speaking on behalf of IHRC, Arzu Merali stated:

“Suggesting Muslim women who wear hijab invite attack is as insidious as stating that women invite rape based on how they dress. This equation aside, surely we need to be calling for society to deal with faith hate through effective policing and awareness raising amongst society at large. Anything else and anything less simply panders to the whims of the prejudiced.”

For more comment or information, please call (+44) 20 8904 4222 or (+44) 7958 607475, or email info@ihrc.org.

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email: info@ihrc.org
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info@ihrc.org