Mr HUSIC (Chifley—Government Whip) (12:50): I rise in support of the motion that has been moved by the member for Hughes and welcome it as an important stepping stone within the process of, in our own way, providing a voice but also, more importantly, seeing potentially improvements in the quality of lives of Egyptian Copts. Like many Australians, I watched earlier this year the historic people’s revolution unfold on television, which resulted in the departure of President Mubarak from a position that he had held for 30 years. The revolt was praised at the time by leaders worldwide, hoping that it would usher in a new era of peace and democracy for all Egyptians, I stress that—for all Egyptians.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper talks with CBC chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge about how Canada changed after 9/11. (CBC)
"There are other threats out there, but that is the one that I can tell you occupies the security apparatus most regularly in terms of actual terrorist threats," Harper said.
SHANKSVILLE, Pa. - The ceremony had the feel of a funeral.
As upward of 3,000 people convened Saturday to mark the dedication of the Flight 93 National Memorial, there was no forgetting that the fragmentary remains of 40 airline passengers lay just a hundred yards away in a wildflower meadow.
When United Airlines Flight 93 crashed on Sept. 11, 2001, the impact at close to 600 m.p.h. was so great the plane and its occupants were obliterated. Few body parts were found.
Egyptian blogger and prisoner of conscience Maikel NabilSanadbegan a hunger strike today in protest against his continued imprisonment. Maikel NabilSanadis also refusing to takehis medication,without whichhis health could be at risk.
Twenty-five-year-old Maikel Nabil Sanad began a hunger strike on 23 August 2011, in protest against his continued imprisonment in al-Marg Prison in Qalyubiya governorate, North of Cairo. Some 10,000 Egyptians have been tried by military courts since the armed forces were deployed in Egypt on 28 January. While some of those who were tried in military courts have been released on suspended sentences, no date for Maikel Nabil Sanad’s appeal has been scheduled.
Christian Blogger Jailed for Criticizing Egyptian Military Goes on Hunger Strike
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- Activist and blogger Dr. Michael Nabil Sanad, 25, began a hunger strike on Tuesday in his cell at Al-Marg prison, in Quliubia province, to protesting the deliberate disregard by the court in setting a hearing for his appeal, presented on July 14 against his prison sentence and the bad treatment he is receiving in prison.
On 10 April 2011 Michael Nabil Sanad was sentenced by a military court to three years imprisonment on charges of "insulting the military and dissemination of false news about the armed forces" in his blog "Son of Ra." The evidence against him was a CD including information from his blog which he had collected from news agencies. Michael Nabil was sentenced in absentia and in violation of legal procedures.
An imam who worked at a Scarborough mosque has been arrested and faces 13 charges in connection with a sexual assault investigation.
Mohammad Masroor, 48, of Toronto, was apprehended August 10 for sexual offences allegedly committed between November 1, 2008 and July 28 of this year. Police have identified five alleged victims, both male and female, and are appealing to others to come forward.
The Dutch parliament on Tuesday voted to ban ritual slaughter in landmark animal rights legislation that has been compared to Nazi persecution of the Jews by the country's Chief Rabbi.
A butcher talks on his mobile phone as a veiled women passes on Halal butchers store in Amsterdam Photo: AP
In a rare show of unity, representatives of one million Dutch Muslims and 40,000 Jews have condemned the prohibition of halal and kosher meat as a violation of their religious freedom.
AP:Hosni Mubarak laying on a hospital bed inside a cage of mesh and iron bars in a Cairo courtroom
Ousted president Hosni Mubarak has denied all charges of corruption and complicity in killing protesters during Egypt's uprising after a court detailed the allegations against him at the opening session of his trial.
The ailing former president lay on a hospital bed inside a cage of mesh and iron bars in a Cairo courtroom as his historic trial began.
WASHINGTON — The US House of Representatives has voted to establish a US envoy to protect the rights of religious minorities in the Middle East and South Asia, amid rising concern over Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan.
While a marathon debate continued Friday on how to avoid US debt default, the House voted 402 to 20 to require President Barack Obama to set up the envoy post. The Senate must follow suit, but senators from both parties have voiced support.
Washington Conference Examined State of Christian Minorities in Muslim Countires
By Mary Abdelmassih
(AINA) -- The second Annual Conference of Coptic Solidarity International, an NGO for the support of the Christian Copts in Egypt and the protection of their fundamental rights, was held in Washington, D.C. on July 8-9, under the main theme of "Will Religious and Ethnic Minorities Pay the Price of the 'Arab Spring?" The main objective of this conference was to understand the implications of the current upheaval in the middle East and to offer present and future support to the Copts, and other minorities, in this difficult period.
Bill limiting sharia law is motivated by 'concern for Muslim women'
Lady Cox, the proposer, says aim is to prevent discrimination against Muslim women and 'jurisdiction creep' in Islamic tribunals
Bill limiting sharia law is motivated by 'concern for Muslim women'
Lady Cox, the proposer, says aim is to prevent discrimination against Muslim women and 'jurisdiction creep' in Islamic tribunals
Whitechapel High Street in east London. The area is predominantly Muslim; just over half the population is of Bangladeshi descent. Photograph: Mike Kemp/Corbis
Islamic courts would be forced to acknowledge the primacy of English law under a bill being introduced in the House of Lords.
The bill, proposed by Lady Cox and backed by women's rights groups and the National Secular Society, was drawn up because of "deep concerns" that Muslim women are suffering discrimination within closed sharia law councils.
DUBAI // A 40-year-old tourist who insulted Islam and called the Prophet Mohammed a terrorist was fined Dh3,000 yesterday.
AG, a Briton, was charged on May 18 in the Dubai Court of Misdemeanours.
In his court appearance last month he was sent away after appearing in shorts. He was ordered to be suitably dressed before being allowed to enter a plea and deny the charges.
European Court to rule on Christian discrimination cases
In a significant legal development, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has requested that the British Government state whether they believe that the rights of Christians have been infringed in recent cases where individuals have been penalised for expressing their faith in the workplace.
An international interfaith conference has revealed that 105,000 Christians are being killed every year simply because of their faith.
Reuters/Juda Ngwenya
This file photo shows a sign pointing towards a church burned down by riots in northern Nigeria.
The shocking figures revealed at the “International Conference on Inter-religious dialogue between Christians, Jews and Muslims,” held in Hungary, show that a Christian is killed every five minutes somewhere in the world because of their faith.
On 7 June 2011 Baroness Cox introduced a new Bill in the House of Lords intended to outlaw the use of Sharia law where it conflicts with English law. In proposing the new Bill she said:
“Equality under the law is a core value of British justice. My Bill seeks to preserve that standard. My Bill seeks to stop parallel legal, or ‘quasi-legal’, systems taking root in our nation. Cases of criminal law and family law are matters reserved for our English courts alone.
“Equality under the law is a core value of British justice. My Bill seeks to preserve that standard. My Bill seeks to stop parallel legal, or ‘quasi-legal’, systems taking root in our nation. Cases of criminal law and family law are matters reserved for our English courts alone.
The International Christian Concern (ICC) (www.persecution.org) a Washington D.C based Christian advocacy organization is petitioning the interim government to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of Coptic Christians, and to repeal current laws that stifle religious freedom for all Egyptians.
UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that he was disturbed by clashes between Christian Copts and Muslims in Egypt, days after fresh violence in Cairo that left 12 people dead.
AFP - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Wednesday that he was disturbed by clashes between Christian Copts and Muslims in Egypt, days after fresh violence in Cairo left 12 people dead.
Egyptian Coptic Youth Protect Cathedral During Pope's Sermon
(AINA) -- Egyptian police and armed forces were heavily deployed around St, Mark's Cathedral in Cairo yesterday as Coptic Pope Shenouda III delivered his weekly sermon to nearly 10,000 church members. The sermon was also attended by the media and Muslim journalists to show their opposition to the Salafis and the actions against the church. A large number of veiled Muslim women were also in attendance.
Religious freedom report criticizes Egypt and Obama
WASHINGTON — Egypt has been added to a list of the world's most severe violators of religious rights. The list was released today in the 12th Annual Report of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)/, an independent and bipartisan group that advises the State Department on religious liberty worldwide.
The 380-page report also criticized the Obama administration for not taking action on previous recommendations to add offending countries to its list of "Countries of Particular Concern" or CPCs.
AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
President Barack Obama gestures while speaking to reporters about the controversy over his birth certificate and true nationality, Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at the White House in Washington.
According to the commission, CPCs are governments that engage in or tolerate severe violations of religious freedom that are "systematic, ongoing, and egregious including acts such as torture, prolonged detention without charges, disappearances, or other flagrant denials of rights."
"CPCs are nations whose conduct marks them as the world's worst religious freedom violators and human rights abusers," said Leonard Leo, USCIRF chair, in an email. "In the case of Egypt, instances of severe religious freedom violations engaged in or tolerated by the government have increased dramatically since the release of last year's report, with violence, including murder, escalating against Coptic Christians and other religious minorities. Since President Mubarak's resignation from office in February, such violence continues unabated without the government's bringing the perpetrators to justice."
(AINA) -- Egyptian police and armed forces were heavily deployed around St, Mark's Cathedral in Cairo yesterday as Coptic Pope Shenouda III delivered his weekly sermon to nearly 10,000 church members. The sermon was also attended by the media and Muslim journalists to show their opposition to the Salafis and the actions against the church. A large number of veiled Muslim women were also in attendance.