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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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22nd March 2004

Press Release: Assassination of Yassin Indicative of Israeli Contempt for International Norms
IHRC condemns latest act of brutality ordered by Sharon

IHRC is deeply saddened at the lack of effective international outrage expressed at the murder of Shaykh Ahmed Yassin today as he was returning home from morning prayers.

Whilst his death will be seen as martyrdom and his loss sustained by his supporters as part of the process that will bring about the ultimate end of injustice and oppression in the region, IHRC is concerned that the international community has couched its response.

Regardless of the clear Islamic injunctions to rise against oppression, the right to defend oneself and one’s land is enshrined in the UN Charter, and the international community’s failure to recognise the Palestinian struggle as essentially part of this process has intensified regional disillusion with its credentials to deal justly with the issues at hand.

IHRC Chairman Massoud Shadjareh today said:

“Today an octogenarian quadriplegic has joined the ranks of so-called terrorists that the Israeli regime sees fit to murder in the most brutal manner. His ‘crime’ in the words of his assassins was to ‘provide inspiration’. Likewise it appears that the stone throwing teenagers mowed down by Israeli tanks and the men, women and children whose lives have been torn apart by zealous aggression on the part of the Israeli security services are criminalised as terrorist for receiving this inspiration.

“We pray that the injustices being visited on the region will be brought closer to an end by the international recognition of the true scale and nature of the Israeli regime’s atrocities.

“IHRC calls upon the international community to treat self-confessed assassin Sharon in the same manner that other war criminals have been treated.”

For more information, please contact the Press Office on (+44) 20 8904 4222 or (+44) 7958 522 196, or 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
Web: www.ihrc.org