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.
(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.