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SearchToday in Islamophobia: UK school threatens court action against Muslim girl’s family over ‘too long’ skirt. The European High Court legalizes banning of halal and kosher animal slaughter. Moustafa Bayoumi writes on domestic right wing extremism, and why we should not resort to new anti-terrorism laws to combat hate. Our recommended read today is by Gulbahan Haitiwaji, a survivor of China’s brutal crackdown against Uighur Muslims. This, and more, below:
China
'Our souls are dead': how I survived a Chinese 're-education' camp for Uighurs | Recommended Read
Since 1955, when communist China annexed Xinjiang as an “autonomous region”, we Uighurs have been seen as a thorn in the side of the Middle Kingdom. Xinjiang is a strategic corridor and far too valuable for China’s ruling Communist party to risk losing control of it. The party has invested too much in the “new silk road”, the infrastructure project designed to link China to Europe via central Asia, of which our region is an important axis. Xinjiang is essential to President Xi Jinping’s great plan – that is, a peaceful Xinjiang, open for business, cleansed of its separatist tendencies and its ethnic tensions. In short, Xinjiang without Uighurs. read the complete article
United States
Opinion | No, We Do Not Need New Anti-Terrorism Laws to Combat Right-Wing Extremists
To understand why, we must first contend with the reasons this issue exists in the first place. It may come as a surprise, especially considering that we’re approaching the 20th anniversary of 9/11, that there is no generic federal law punishing domestic terrorism. While the USA Patriot Act did redefine terrorism to include its domestic variety, it did not create a specific set of penalties for such acts. Instead, prosecutors can use many of the broad terrorism laws that are on the books to prosecute acts of domestic terror (the majority of which have been committed by far-right actors). The problem is, they simply don’t. As the Brennan Center’s Mike German writes, “The Justice Department’s inattention to far-right violence is a matter of longstanding policy and practice, not a lack of authority.” As a result, the term “domestic terrorism” has been rendered “practically inconsequential” from a legal perspective according to the legal website JustSecurity.org. read the complete article
Leaked Location Data Shows Another Muslim Prayer App Tracking Users
Perhaps unbeknownst to these people, Salaat First (Prayer Times), an app that reminds Muslims when to pray, was recording and selling their granular location information to a data broker, which in turn sells location data to other clients. Motherboard has obtained a large dataset of those raw, precise movements of users of the app from a source. The source who provided the dataset was concerned that such sensitive information, which could potentially track Muslims going about their day including visiting places of worship, could be abused by those who buy and make use of the data. The company collecting the location data, a French firm called Predicio, has previously been linked to a supply chain of data involving a U.S. government contractor that worked with ICE, Customs and Border Protection, and the FBI. read the complete article
Guantanamo's Unhappy Birthday
On this unhappy birthday, 40 detainees remain — including two who arrived on that inaugural Jan. 11, 2002 flight. Over nearly two decades, Guantánamo has proved to be an abject policy failure. In the face of that failure, proponents of Guantánamo detention rehash warmed-over arguments to defend its continued existence. They claim that the facility provides significant intelligence, affords policymakers a necessary option for detaining individuals captured in the so-called “Global War on Terror” under the laws of war, offers a venue for trying terror suspects in military tribunals, and keeps dangerous enemies from returning to the battlefield. read the complete article
CAP and More Than 100 Advocacy Groups Urge GOP Leadership To Ban Supporters of QAnon and White Supremacist Ideology From Committee Assignments
Today, the Center for American Progress and more than 100 advocacy groups sent a letter to Republican leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives to deny committee assignments to members who have openly promoted QAnon conspiracy theories and endorsed ideologies rooted in white supremacy. The letter comes after a mob containing many prominent white supremacists and QAnon supporters, incited by President Donald Trump, violently stormed the U.S. Capitol in an attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair democratic election read the complete article
Germany
Muslim In Germany: European High Court Legalizes The Banning Of Halal And Kosher Animal Slaughter
Just a few weeks ago, the Highest Court of the European Union ruled that member states can ban halal and kosher animal slaughtering; or allow it only under the condition that the animals have been stunned before their throat is cut (which is the requirement for slaughtering animals for food in both, the Muslim and Jewish religions). The case came up to the highest court of the Union because Belgium (Flanders) had passed a law banning this type of ritual slaughter in spite of protests from both religious communities who say this is a deep infringement of their right to follow their own religious obligations. read the complete article
International
UK ‘to ban’ China imports linked to Uighur camps: Reports
Britain is set to announce plans outlawing the importation of goods suspected of using forced labour in China’s Xinjiang province, media reported on Monday, in a move which would further strain ties between London and Beijing. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is expected to reveal his plans, which are also set to include tougher laws on exporting goods or technology that could be used for repression, to MPs this week, according to The Sun and Guardian newspapers. Britain and China’s relationship has grown increasingly frosty over the last two years, particularly over London’s criticism of the crackdown on democracy campaigners in Hong Kong and its offer of citizenship for its residents. Britain has also criticised the treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang province, with the government calling evidence that they are being forced to produce cotton “deeply troubling”. Beijing has denied allegations of forced labour. read the complete article
United Kingdom
UK school threatens court action against Muslim girl’s family over ‘too long’ skirt
A British school has threatened the family of a Muslim student with legal action for refusing to send her to school with a shorter skirt, the Daily Mail newspaper reported on Monday. Siham Hamud, 12, had been wearing an ankle-length skirt to Uxbridge High School for years, but was last month told that her clothing broke its uniform rules. Her father said she was sent home from school to change every day in December, and told to come back wearing the correct uniform, but she refused on the basis of her religious beliefs. The school mandates that girls wear black trousers or a black pleated skirt from official suppliers, which the family says falls above the knee. A letter sent by the school to the family said: “Siham’s absence is being recorded as unauthorised. Unauthorised absence may result in a fine being issued, or legal action being taken against the adults who have parental responsibility or day-to-day care of your child. Legal action can be in the form of a penalty notice or a summons to the magistrates’ court.” read the complete article
Bangladesh
'There is no noise': inside the controversial Bhasan Char refugee camp – a photo essay
There are a lot of children here, and when they play and get noisy it makes this island feel better, to tell you the truth –and less abnormal. The buildings are all the same here. We live on the ground floor. There are some tall buildings. Refugees are not permitted on the upper floors. Maybe they think we will kill ourselves? read the complete article