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SearchToday in Islamophobia: Tennessee DA is probed for Islamophobic rhetoric in the U.S, and Christchurch gunman becomes first to face NZ’s anti-terrorism law. As China uses hi-tech surveillance to automate Islamophobia, a new op-ed asks “When Will the World Do Something to Save Rohingya Muslims?” Our recommended read of the day is by Vindu Goel and Shaikh Azizur Rahman on the rise of online anti-Muslim hatred in India. This, and more, below:
India
When Rohingya Refugees Fled to India, Hate on Facebook Followed | Recommended Read
During India’s recent national elections, Mr. Salim said, he saw Facebook posts that falsely accused Rohingya Muslims of cannibalism go viral, along with posts that threatened to burn their homes if they did not leave India. Some Hindu nationalists called the Rohingya terrorists and shared videos on the social network in which the leader of India’s governing Bharatiya Janata Party vowed to expel the minority group and other Muslim “termites.” A week ago, new posts popped up falsely accusing the Rohingya of killing B.J.P. workers in West Bengal. read the complete article
Meet one of India’s most divisive new legislators: A Hindu nun charged with terrorism
The 49-year-old is an unlikely legislator. She renounced family life in her 30s to become a “sadhvi,” an honorific for a Hindu nun. But later she would be charged under an anti-terrorism statute for conspiring to target Muslims in a deadly 2008 bomb blast. She denies the charges. Her controversial candidacy and comfortable victory epitomize the growing influence of a militant brand of right-wing Hindu ideology in India, a country of more than 1.3 billion people that its founders envisioned as a secular republic. read the complete article
United States
Tennessee DA Probed After Anti-Muslim, Homophobic Comments
A Tennessee district attorney is reportedly under investigation by the state’s Supreme Court after he called Muslims inherently “evil” and said same-sex couples aren’t entitled to domestic violence protections. Coffee County District Attorney Craig Northcott has refused calls to resign or apologize for commentary on Facebook and at a Bible conference that led to a complaint to the state Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility, the Tennessean reported. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), which filed the complaint against him in May, told the Tennesseean that they were notified by the Supreme Court’s board on Friday that an investigation has been opened. read the complete article
United Kingdom
Opinion | Muslim women deserve better from a prime minister, Boris Johnson
In a past not too far away, Johnson’s image was that of bumbling endearing fool but actually I wish people would wake up and realise Johnson is a calculated and malicious opportunist who seems to have no morals, principles or loyalty to his position or country. White male privilege has dealt us the worst hand and this is why we need a general election, not a boys’ popularity contest held amongst the senior ranks of Tory politicians. read the complete article
New Zealand
Suspected New Zealand mosque gunman pleads not guilty
The suspected gunman in the New Zealand mosque massacres, Australian Brenton Harrison Tarrant, 28, pleaded not guilty to all charges when he appeared in the Christchurch High Court on Friday. He is the first person to be charged under the country’s anti-terrorism legislation. Tarrant, in a gray sweatshirt with short cropped hair, was in a small cell flanked by three prison officers in body armor vests — who left as the proceeding began. He appeared to smirk as counsel entered not-guilty pleas on his behalf. read the complete article
China
Chinese Techno-State is Automating Islamophobia .. and Spreading Globally
Technology is often viewed through a lens of positive change and development. However, as visible in Xinjiang, when it is unregulated and falls into the hands of those with unrestricted power, it can and has been used to target marginalized communities. Uighur Muslims are flagged as threats at checkpoints, severely curtailing their freedoms and rights and often resulting in their being sent to one of the many concentration camps in the region. Those not in the camps are met with Big Brother at every step of their day to day lives: from government informants living in their homes to checkpoints and GPS tracking when they step out the front door. The technology has been implemented under the direction of an authoritarian regime that seeks to be the “top global exporter of surveillance systems.” China’s global investments and growing economic power are amplified as the state profits from surveillance-capitalism by promoting these potentially dangerous tools on the international market. As The Washington Post Editorial Board recently warned, “Xinjiang has become a laboratory for the development of a comprehensive, high-tech system for monitoring people and their behaviors, which poses an unprecedented threat to freedom — not just in western China, but potentially throughout the world.” read the complete article
Canada
Opinion | A Quebec bill to ban some from wearing ‘religious symbols’ is fueled by Islamophobia
Bill 21 would ban certain public-sector workers — including teachers, judges, Crown prosecutors, police and prison guards — in Quebec from wearing religious symbols such as niqabs, hijabs and turbans. While the bill doesn’t target Muslim women explicitly, the impact of the legislation would likely be borne by them the most. The bill is expected to pass before the end of the current session on Friday. Surveys show that Bill 21 is buoyed by anti-Islam sentiment. The problem is that it’s also a popular piece of legislation, according to polls, and the governing Coalition Avenir Quebec (CAQ) relies on polls to guide its policy priorities. read the complete article