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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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30 January 2006

Press Release: Case of Abdul Muqtadir Mustaqim indicates departure from McPherson

IHRC is closely monitoring the case of Abdul Muqtadir Mustaqim, the retrial of which commences today at Aylesbury Crown Court. The outcome will have a huge impact on institutional racism and Islamophobia in Britain today.

Mustaqim, the son of Islamic Party general secretary, Dr Sahib Mustaqim Blehir, was arrested, handcuffed, held in custody and abused after he alleged Thames Valley police officers were behaving in a racist manner when they stopped his car in August 2004.

In spite of video and audio evidence of the arrest and the police having to drop trumped up charges of possession of an offensive weapon, Mustaqim was convicted in the district court for allegedly making a statement offensive to the police officers. District Judge Williams concluded that the allegation of racism against a police officer was offensive and constituted racism itself.

IHRC notes that such a remark by a justice of the court flies in the face of the outcome of the Stephen Lawrence enquiry which found racism to be institutional within the UK and something to be presumed in the absence of evidence to the contrary.

IHRC Chair Massoud Shadjareh said today:

“Anti-racism activists will be very saddened to hear that only within 7 years of McPherson, it has now become a criminal offence to even accuse the police of racism.”

For more information please contact (+44) 20 8904 4222, or (44) 7958 522196 or email:info@ihrc.org.[ ENDS ]

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
Web: www.ihrc.org

info@ihrc.org