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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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10th December 2003

PRESS RELEASE: Do Muslims have Human Rights?

IHRC calls on British government to address violations of human rights against Muslims in the name of anti-terror

London-based human rights group, Islamic Human Rights Commission, today wrote to British Prime Minister demanding the British government stop violating the rights of its Muslim citizens and start advocating for justice for all oppressed peoples world-wide.

In the letter written to coincide with International Human Rights Day, tomorrow, IHRC chairman Massoud Shadjareh calls on Mr. Blair to:

“…understand that injustice is being perpetrated on a monumental scale against various people world-wide and that the British government is perceived to be a party to these injustices by those millions oppressed.

“Of these the vast majority are Muslim, yet rather than understand the level of hatred, and violence perpetrated against them, the British government haplessly condones anti-Muslim sentiment at national, regional and international levels.”

Citing the detainees in Guantanamo Bay, the support for oppressive regimes including Israel and India and the continued terror raids across the UK as examples, the letter continues:

“The demonisation of Muslims fed by the media and fuelled by intense, public security activities against them at home and violent and demeaning foreign policy, is analogous to the victimisation of the Jewish community in Europe in the 1930s…

“In the name of true universal justice, we ask your government to address the ethical crisis it is in. Not only can it no longer claim the moral high ground, it is guilty of complicity in some of the most blatant human rights abuses of the current era.”

For more information please contact the Press Office on 020 8904 4222 or 07958 522196. Full text of the letter available on request.

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