COMPARE SAUDI ARABIA WITH THE UK

Compare Saudi Arabia with the UK??



Compare Saudi Arabia with the UK

Introduction

Millions of people are suffering at the hands of clerical regimes, especially our Muslim brothers and sisters in countries like Saudi Arabia and Iran. Sadly, the turn out in Hyde Park will probably be quite small. This is odd. Most liberals and left-wingers would protest loud and strong if these persecutions were perpetrated by a western regime or by Christian fundamentalists. But they get squeamish when it comes to challenging human rights abuses done in the name of Islam. They fear being denouned as Islamophobic. They confuse protests against fundamentalist, political Islam, which seeks to establish a religious dictatorship, with an attack on Muslim people and the Muslim faith. These are two very different things. Saturday's protest is in defence of Muslim people - and all people everywhere - who are victims of any form of religious tyranny.

Compare Saudi Arabia with the UK

Sharia law is, however, one of the most barbaric manifestations of fundamentalist religion, which is why we need to highlight it. While other faiths are also often oppressive, Sharia is especially oppressive. Its interpretations stipulate the execution of Muslims who commit adultery, renounce their faith (apostates) or have same-sex relationships. Sharia methods of execution, such as stoning, are particularly brutal and cruel. The horrors of Sharia law, and the need to support Muslims who are resisting it, has been reinforced by the stoning to death this week in Somalia of a 20 year old woman divorcee who was accused of adultery. According to the BBC, the woman was buried up to her waist and then stoned to death in front of 200 people near the town of Wajid. Her male partner was given 100 lashes.

This is the fourth stoning of an adulterer in Somalia in the last year. Earlier this month, a man was stoned to death for adultery in the port town of Merka, south of Mogadishu. His girlfriend, currently pregnant, will be stoned to death after she gives birth. A 13 year old girl who had been raped was stoned to death for adultery in the southern Somali town of Kismayo last year.

Somalia is an extreme example of the Sharia oppression that exists in large parts of the Muslim world. As ever, Muslim women are often the main victims. Our rally is in support of Muslim women who are campaigning for equality. We cannot accept the way many Islamic states, including western allies like Saudi Arabia, restrict women's freedom of movement, make women subject to the control of male guardians, deny women access to certain jobs and positions in government and enforce the compulsory veiling of women (the hijab, niqab, jilbab or burqa).

Contrary to the way our critics are trying to misrepresent our campaign, this is not an attack on Muslims or Islam. Nor are we uniquely condemning Sharia law. We reject all religious laws and courts, including those inspired by Judaist and Christian ...