AML

AML EVIDENCE TO THE HOUSE OF LORDS SELECT COMMITTEE ON RELIGIOUS OFFENCES
17TH OCTOBER 2002

Ifath Nawaz, Chairperson of the AML

Following the Association's Conference on Religious Discrimination on 14th July 2002, the AML widely circulated the proposals and findings of the Conference thereafter. The AML was then invited with the Forum Against Islamophobia and Racism (FAIR) and the Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) to present evidence to the Select Committee on the need for legislation on the issue of whether or not there should be legislation on religious discrimination.

The Select Committee had already received written representations from the three organisations and had asked that in their oral presentations, the groups concentrate more specifically on questions ranging from whether the existing offences of blasphemy should be retained, abolished or amended or whether there should be a new offence of inciting religious hatred; to identify the mischief against which legislation was needed, whether amendment of the current Race Relations legislation to include religion would be an appropriate way forward; the impact and effectiveness of the existing Race Relations and the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 as well as enforcement.

FAIR, who were represented by Mohammed Abdul Aziz, Christopher Allen, Sadiq Khan and Dilwar Hussain, concentrated their submissions in highlighting the mischief that needed to be targeted and produced a plethora of literature to effectively demonstrate this.

The MCB, represented by Iqbal Sacranie, AbdulWahid Hamid, Khalid Sofi and Sarah Joseph, in their presentation concentrated on the need for more understanding and tolerance and the real need to protect religious minorities in this country. Whilst against the abolition of the existing law on blasphemy the MCB demonstrated the need for a new law on 'vilification of religion and religious sanctities'.

The AML, represented by Ahmad Thomson and Ifath Nawaz, in the end concentrated their efforts on highlighting the need for new offences aimed at incitement to religious hatred, (by way of literature, internet etc), the incitement to the commission of religiously aggravated offences and finally the actual commission of those offences. The AML expressed the view that the existing blasphemy law should be retained but expanded to include protection to the bona fide religions and their followers, and that in the short term an amendment to the existing Race Relations legislation was appropriate. However it was stressed that, in order to effectively give the message that such behaviour will not be tolerated, it was important that there was direct legislation on the point. To this end, the AML provided written proposals as to the form such legislation should take.

The full text of the submissions to the Select Committee are below: