BJP Lifts T. Raja Singh’s Suspension for Derogatory Comments About Prophet Muhammad and Blesses Him with A Ticket to Contest Election
New Age Islam News Bureau
24 October 2023
Telangana MLA T. Raja Singh
-----
India
·
Delhi
Police Detain Several Students From Leftist Groups For Anti-Israel Protest
·
Muslims
Hold Prayer Meet In Pune For Israel-Hamas Ceasefire
·
Dussehra:
Muslim Family From Meerut Checks Into Shimla Temple For Making Effigies Of
Ravana
·
This
Muslim Family Building Massive Effigies Of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, And Meghnad
Keeps Dussehra Sparkling For 40 Years In Vadodara
·
‘No. 1 In
Robbery, Dacoity, Rape’: Badruddin Ajmal Decries High Crime Rate Among Muslims
In Assam
·
Madrasa
Teacher In Gujarat Held For Sodomising 10 Minor Students
·
Kartarpur
Corridor Unites Pakistani Muslim With Sikh Friend After 76 Years
-------
Europe
·
UK
government has no plans to ban use of word ‘jihad’
·
UK police
chief defends force’s decision not to arrest chanters of ‘jihad’ at anti-Israel
protest
·
London
underground driver suspended for ‘Free Palestine’ chant
·
Uncharted
territories: The overlooked demographic of Gen Z British Muslim travelers
·
Rishi
Sunak says calls for jihad are 'threat to our democratic values'
·
UK imams
condemn killing of civilians in Israel, Gaza
·
EU member
objects to ‘fast track membership’ for Ukraine
·
Humanitarian
crisis in Gaza must be avoided: Borrell
--------
North America
·
Obama
Warns Some Of Israel’s Actions In Gaza May Backfire
·
CAIR-Sacramento
Valley/Central California Calls for Hate Crime Charges in Truck Attack at
Fresno Palestine Support Rally
·
CAIR-NY
Condemns NYPD’s Aggressive Dispersing of Crowd at Pro-Palestine Protest in
Brooklyn
·
CAIR-LA to
Host Press Conference on Behalf of Palestinian-Americans Trapped in Gaza
·
Mother of
Palestinian-American Boy Killed in ‘Anti-Muslim Attack’ Released From Hospital
-------
Arab Wold
·
Saudi,
Guinean Defence Ministers Discuss Cooperation
·
Saudi
Arabia, South Korea issue joint statement at end of president’s visit to Riyadh
·
Saudi
crown prince receives letters from leaders of Qatar, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan
·
Saudi
crown prince receives phone call from Ukraine president
-------
Pakistan
·
Senate to
finally meet this week on Gaza situation
·
Peshawar
protesters urge UN to stop Israeli atrocities in Gaza
·
Resolution
Of Kashmir, Palestine Issues Vital For Peace In World: Sanjrani
·
After
China, Pakistan set to appoint envoy to Kabul
·
Imran’s Indictment
‘Death Knell To Legal System’: PTI
·
IHC Orders
Facilities For Imran
·
Conspiracies
afoot to divide Ummah: Ashrafi
-------
Southeast Asia
·
'See You
Tonight, Let's Condemn Israeli Atrocities,' Demand A Ceasefire, Says PMAnwar
Ibrahim
·
Malaysian
Former Minister Zuraida Slams Speaker For Banning Use Of ‘Kafir’, ‘Yahudi’,
‘Zionists’
·
Sentiments
In Sunday's Pro-Gaza Rally Don't Reflect Govt And Muslims' Stand On Palestine,
Says Home Minister
·
Amid Aman
Palestine fund abuse claims, MACC chief says only on paper trail, yet to call
in anyone for questioning
·
Perak
police arrest two men for attempted murder of cop, armed robbery
·
About
20,000 People Expected To Attend ‘Malaysia With Palestine Rally’ At Bukit Jalil
Tonight, Say Organisers
·
Solidarity,
Not Rules, The Main Aim Of Pro-Palestine Rallies, Says Saifuddin
·
Indonesian
businesses eye more collaboration with Saudi Arabia under new task force
-------
Australia
·
Muslim
Australian School Students Subjected To Islamophobic Abuse Amid Israel-Hamas
War
----
Mideast
·
Iran FM:
US Fanning Flames Of War On Gaza By Offering Full Support To Israel
·
President
Raeisi: US, West Directly Supporting Israel’s Horrendous Crimes In Gaza
·
Palestinian
Resistance Launches Fresh Retaliatory Attacks On Targets In Occupied
Territories
·
Nasrallah,
Bassil Confer On Latest Developments In Lebanon
·
Israel
Ramps Up Assault on West Bank With Airstrike on Mosque, Deadly Raids
·
UN General
Assembly to meet over Israel-Hamas war
·
Israel
strikes Hamas target in Gaza refugee camp, military says
-------
South Asia
·
UN Report
Exposes Alarming Human Rights Issues, Including Hazara Killings In Oruzgan, Afghanistan
·
Pakistan
halts deportation of Afghan migrants awaiting Western Visas
·
Cameras in
Cities Have Facial-Recognition Capability: MoI
·
Over
40,000 Cases Tried in Past 3 Months: Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate
·
Sexual
Harassment: RU prof relieved of duties for 2yrs
·
17 killed
as trains collide in Bhairab
-------
Africa
·
Nigeria:
76 People Arrested For Organising A "Gay Wedding
·
UN
Peacekeepers Expedite Pull-Out From Northern Mali Camp Amid Tense Security
Context
·
Katsina
Govt Introduces Monthly Allowances For Muslim Clerics
·
Julius
Malema tells Muslim community to abandon ANC due to non-closure of Israeli
embassy
·
S. Africa's
third biggest political party holds protest outside Israeli embassy
·
Death
sentences for 38 over 2021 lynching of Algeria fires volunteer
Compiled by
New Age Islam News Bureau
URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bjp-suspension-prophet-derogatory/d/130966
-----
BJP Lifts T. Raja Singh’s Suspension for
derogatory Comments About Prophet Muhammad and Blesses with A Ticket to Contest
Election
Telangana
MLA T. Raja Singh
-----
23/OCT/2023
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) on Sunday, October 22, lifted the suspension it placed on Telangana MLA
T. Raja Singh for alleged derogatory comments he made about Prophet Muhammad.
The party’s Central Disciplinary Committee told Singh on Sunday that the
suspension was revoked forthwith on the basis of his reply to the show-cause
notice issued to him.
Raja Singh was suspended by the BJP in
August last year after his comments caused communal tensions in Hyderabad.
Telangana’s assembly elections will be held on November 30 and Singh, who has
over 100 criminal cases against him, will contest once again from the
Goshamahal constituency.
The MLA shared the letter he received from
the BJP’s disciplinary committee on X (formerly Twitter) and thanked Prime
Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president J.P. Nadda, and other leaders for
revoking his susepnsion.
Singh was arrested by the Hyderabad
police in August under the Preventive Detention Act for hurting the religious
sentiments of the minority community.
In November last year, the Telangana
high court released him while laying down three strict conditions. Justices A.
Abhishek Reddy and JuvvadiSridevi said he “shall not participate in or hold any
celebratory rallies/meetings after his release”; shall be prohibited from
giving “any interviews to any kind of media houses including the print media”;
and “shall not make any provocative speeches against any religion or post any
derogatory or offensive posts on any social media platforms like Facebook,
Twitter, WhatsApp, YouTube, etc.”
Source: thewire.in
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://thewire.in/politics/telangana-bjp-suspension-t-raja-singh-comments-prophet-muhammad
--------
Macron To Call For “A Return To A Real
Peace Process” And End To The “Colonization” Of The West Bank – Media
Image ©
Christophe Petit Tesson / Pool via AP
------
23 Oct, 2023
French President Emmanuel Macron intends
to call for “a return to a real peace process” and end to the “colonization” of
the West Bank when he visits Israel, the French outlet BFMTV reported on
Monday.
Macron, who is expected in Tel Aviv on
Tuesday, intends to express solidarity with Israel and make “very clear
commitments against terrorist groups,” said BFM, citing the Elysee Palace.
He also wants to “reopen a political
perspective” for the Palestinians, in order to see the release of all the
hostages held in Gaza, defuse hostilities, and “avoid the generalization of the
conflict” into a “dangerous and uncontrolled escalation in the Middle East.” A
key part of this proposal, the French presidency added, would be stopping the
growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank.
An unnamed presidential adviser told BFM
that France wants a temporary truce in order to facilitate the release of
hostages held by Hamas.
“We want a humanitarian pause, a
humanitarian truce, which if necessary gives us enough space to build a
political scenario which would hopefully lead to a ceasefire,” the adviser
said.
Hamas launched an incursion into Israel
on October 7, killing an estimated 1,400 Israelis and taking another 200
hostage. Israel has responded by declaring war on the Palestinian group and
laying siege to Gaza, while launching artillery and air strikes and killing up
to 4,000 people, according to local authorities.
Macron intends to express support for
Israel and in particular, French Israelis, 30 of whom were killed in the
October 7 Hamas incursion. Seven more are listed as missing and presumably
being held captive in Gaza.
In addition to a collective commitment
to combat the threat of terrorism, “there is a need to open a political
perspective that gives substance to the only solution that is valid in the
Middle East, which is the two-state solution,” the adviser added, noting that
France has “never deviated” from this objective.
France raised its terrorist threat
advisory to the highest level on October 13, after a high school stabbing in
Arras linked to Islamic extremism. Macron’s Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin
has banned all pro-Palestinian protests and threatened to deport any foreign
nationals who violate the prohibition.
Organizers of the 2023 MTV Europe Music
Awards show, scheduled for November 5 in Paris, cancelled it this weekend,
citing security concerns and the “volatility of world events.”
Source: rt.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.rt.com/news/585634-france-macron-palestine-state/
-------
U.S. Rejects Calls For Ceasefire In
Gaza, Says Would Benefit Hamas
The US
warned Monday that any Gaza ceasefire by Israel would benefit Hamas. (File)
-----
October 23, 2023
The United States on Monday warned that
any Gaza ceasefire by Israel would benefit Hamas.
This comes as the European Union
considers a call for a humanitarian pause.
A ceasefire would “give Hamas the
ability to rest, to refit and to get ready to continue launching terrorist
attacks against Israel,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told
reporters.
“You can understand perfectly clearly
why that’s an intolerable situation for Israel, as it would be an intolerable
situation for any country that has suffered such a brutal terrorist attack and
continues to see the terrorist threat right on its border,” he said.
Mr. Miller said that the United States
was separately working to ensure a flow of humanitarian relief into Gaza, with
a US envoy, David Satterfield, on the ground working “intensively” on aid.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell
said earlier on October 23 that he expected the bloc’s leaders to back a call
for a pause in fighting to let in aid, according to AFP.
“I believe that the idea of a
humanitarian pause to facilitate the arrival of humanitarian aid, which would
allow displaced persons to find shelter, is something that the leaders will
support,” Borrell said after talks with EU foreign ministers in Luxembourg.
Source: saharareporters.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://saharareporters.com/2023/10/23/us-rejects-calls-ceasefire-gaza-says-would-benefit-hamas
-------
Qatar’s Emir Says, Enough: No Green
Light To Israel For Unconditional Killing
This handout
picture provided by the Saudi Press Agency SPA on July 19, 2023 shows Qatar's
Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attending the GCC-Central Asia Summit in
Jeddah. (AFP)
------
October 24, 2023
DOHA: Qatar’s ruling emir Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad Al-Thani said Israel should not be given a green light for
unconditional killing.
“We say enough. Israel shouldn't be
granted an unconditional green light and unrestricted authorization to kill,”
said Sheikh Tamim, during his annual speech to open the Gulf Arab state's
advisory Shura council.
Sheikh Tamim said the fighting between
Israel and Hamas was a dangerous escalation that threatened the region and the
world.
This was his first public comments since
Qatar began its most recent efforts to mediate between Israel and Hamas.
Qatar has had an open dialogue with both
Israel and Hamas which has brought about the release of four hostages held by
Hamas, including two Israeli women on Monday.
“We call for a serious regional and
international stance against this dangerous escalation that we are witnessing,
which threatens the security of the region and the world,” Sheikh Tamim said.
“We do not accept double standards and
acting like the lives of Palestinian children aren't accounted for, as if they
don't have faces or names.”
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396686/middle-east
------
Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan’s Emir
Describes Nawaz Sharif’s Case As ‘A Test For Judiciary’
JI emir
Sirajul Haq addresses his party’s ‘Akhwan Convention’ in Hyderabad on
Monday.—PPI
-----
October 24, 2023
Ghulam Hussain Khawaja
HYDERABAD: Jamaat-i-Islami Pakistan’s
emir Sirajul Haq has said that establishment most often supports corrupt
politicians but it is now a test for judiciary to deal with convicted PML-N
supremo Nawaz Sharif, who has returned to the country after four-years of
self-exile.
Haq said at a gathering of JI workers
here on Monday that what would Mr Sharif, who failed to deliver in his past
three terms as premier, do if he were elected prime minister for the fourth
time.
He said that Nawaz’s brother was a prime
minister in the Pakistan Democratic Movement government while other party leaders
held important portfolios. As long as dynastic politics remained entrenched in
Pakistan, democracy could not flourish, he said.
He said the country faced a critical
situation as it suffered from multiple ailments like weak economy, bad
governance and corruption.
Says democracy cannot flourish as long
as dynastic politics remain entrenched in Pakistan
He said the current government policies
had turned Pakistan into a begging bowl despite the fact that the country was
blessed with huge natural resources of oil, gas and minerals.
He stated that every Pakistani citizen
owed Rs275,000 to international moneylenders as the country was under Rs73,000
billion debt.
He said that Sindh, which had been ruled
by Pakistan Peoples Party for the last 15 years, had become a chronic case of
lawlessness, poverty, dacoits’ raj and political uncertainty.
He said that the longest PPP rule had
proved to be an era of destruction and deprivation. Pakistan had become the
most expensive country in South Asia and even countries like Bhutan,
Afghanistan and Iran had surpassed it in terms of economy, peace and progress,
he said.
The JI chief said that despite that,
Pakistan could be extricated from the crises by recovering looted wealth from
politicians. Only power of vote could change the system and leadership in the
country, he said.
He asked party workers to start
preparations for general elections because electoral dynamics this time were
different. JI did not believe in fielding investors and businessmen and allow
them to win on JI tickets and then loot resources, he said.
He said that JI workers were the party’s
asset, and advised them to work hard. JI was working for a welfare state,
whenever the party was given a chance the party would prove its mettle, he
said.
He said that it was high time that JI
candidates accelerated the pace of their election campaign and undertake
door-to-door visits.
He deplored the fact that the US and UK
were supporting Israeli bombardment of Palestine. Israel was committing war
crimes, he said.
He said that indifference of Muslim
rulers towards the Palestine issue was painful, and asked party workers to
collect funds for Palestine and make it a subject of discussion in public
gatherings.
Al Khidmat Hyderabad presented a cheque
for Rs10m to JI emir for victims of Israeli aggression in Gaza.
Earlier, JI emir offered condolences to
bereaved family of veteran grower leader Abdul Majeed Nizamani in Baqar
Nizamani village near Tando Mohammad Khan.
He said that late Nizamani was an
agriculture expert and a patriotic Pakistani. Nizamani always stood for the
rights of his fellow growers, he said.
Separately, in a media talk in Thatta on
Monday, the JI emir reiterated that Nawaz Sharif’s return home would not bring
any good to Pakistan.
He said the country’s politics had been
dominated by two dynasties and the country would get rid of them only if people
used their votes wisely. The two families were responsible for the persisting
economic crisis, worst-ever, and growing unemployment in the country, he said.
He said that laws with hidden western
agendas like the Transgender Act were being imposed on Islamic countries
including Pakistan. Only Islamic laws could address growing unrest in Muslim
countries, he said.
In Sindh, he said, the party ruling the
province for 15 years was responsible for the chronic lawlessness and other
ills. “Only fair and transparent elections offer a solution to the country’s
problems,” Sirajul Haq insisted.
Source: dawn.com
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the full text of the original
https://www.dawn.com/news/1783219/siraj-describes-nawaz-sharifs-case-as-a-test-for-judiciary
----------
India
Delhi police detain several students
from Leftist groups for anti-Israel protest
24.10.23
Delhi police on Monday detained several
students from Leftist groups as they tried to hold a protest near the Israeli
embassy in support of Palestinians.
The student groups alleged that the
police had dragged many protesters and “attacked” them before detaining them.
Students from JNU, Jamia Millia Islamia
and Delhi University had assembled around 1pm to hold a protest march to the
embassy. The police had erected barricades to stop them from reaching the
embassy on Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Road.
Abhigyan, Delhi unit president of the
CPIM Liberation-backed All India Students Association (AISA), said the police
detained around 200 protesters near the Israel embassy.
“I, along with several AISA activists,
have been detained and we are being taken to Najafgarh,” he said.
Abhigyan accused the police of launching
“a deeply violent attack on protesters” and said that “many of our friends have
been injured”.
“Why are the Delhi police crushing all
solidarity with Palestine? The people of Delhi have shown that India stands
with Palestine against the inhuman occupation,” he said.
A statement from the CPM-backed Students
Federation of India (SFI) leader Aishe Ghosh said Israel had launched a
full-fledged attack on Palestinians in which hundreds had been killed.
“To demand humanitarian intervention
from the Indian government as well as the governments across the world, SFI
Delhi called for a demonstration outside the Israeli embassy in India,” the SFI
statement said.
“Amidst heavy police deployment, a lot
of demonstrators were detained even before the protest could start. They were
brutally picked up right from the Metro stations and their vehicles. Police
also attacked the hundreds of students that had joined for the gathering.
Injuries were suffered by many demonstrators.”
The SFI said it condemned the attack on
students standing in solidarity with Palestine and also “condemns the Indian
government’s weak international stance and their favour of Israeli human rights
violation in the Gaza strip”.
A police officer said that students were
detained when they tried to march towards the embassy because they did not have
permission for the march.
Source: telegraphindia.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/delhi-police-detain-several-students-from-leftist-groups-for-anti-israel-protest/cid/1975059
-------
Muslims hold prayer meet in Pune for
Israel-Hamas ceasefire
Oct 24, 2023
People from different organisations
gathered under the aegis of Kul Jamati Tanzeem at Eidgah Ground amidst police
presence
The Muslim community of Pune organised a
two-hour peace meet on Sunday calling for a ceasefire amid the escalating war
between Israel and Hamas. People from different organisations gathered under
the aegis of Kul Jamati Tanzeem at Eidgah Ground amidst police presence.
Following a public prayer, the imams
called for their solidarity for Palestinians and bemoaned the loss of civilian
lives on both sides and appealed for peace.
We're now on WhatsApp. Click to join.
“The war in the Middle East has left
thousands dead from both the Israel and Palestine sides. We demand an end to
the hostilities and peaceful resolution to the 70-year-old conflict. Civilians
are deliberately targeted and innocent lives lost in mindless bombing,” said
Siraj Bagwan, organising secretary, Kul Jamati Tanzeem. Zuber Memon, national
convenor, National Conference for Minorities, said, “We don’t want war and wish
for peace. The humanitarian aid and assistance to Gaza must be implemented in
letter and spirit.”
Source: hindustantimes.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/pune-news/muslims-hold-prayer-meet-in-pune-for-israel-hamas-ceasefire-101698086014900.html
------
Dussehra: Muslim family from Meerut
checks into Shimla temple for making effigies of Ravana
Oct 24, 2023
Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India],
October 24 (ANI): Sending out a message of communal harmony
(/topic/communal-harmony), a Muslim
family from Meerut (/topic/meerut) in Uttar Pradesh is burning the proverbial
midnight oil to make effigies of the Ravana, Kumbhkaran and Meghnad, characters
from the epic Ramayana, ahead of the Dussehra (/topic/dussehra) festival.
Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister
Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu will burn the effigy of Ravana in the famous Jakhu
temple in Shimla on Tuesday.
These effigies of Ravana, Kumbhkaran and
Meghnad have been made by people belonging to Muslim families over a number of
years.
This year, the third generation of the
Muslim family from Meerut (/topic/meerut) reached Jakhu Temple to make effigies
of the demon king and other characters from Ramayana.
"We come to Shimla every year
during Dussehra (/topic/dussehra). We feel very happy to be involved in the
preparations for Dussehra (/topic/dussehra). We have been making statues and
effigies over three generations now. The effigies of Ravana that we make tower
at 45 feet, and those of Kumbhkarna and Meghnad are 35 and 30 feet
respectively. It's been a week since we started working here. We want to set an
example and spread a message of communal harmony (/topic/communal-harmony)
here," Mohammad Aslam, a member of the Meerut (/topic/meerut) family, told
ANI.
The youths identified themselves as the
descendants of Rahat Hussain (/topic/rahat-hussain), a resident of Meerut
(/topic/meerut) whose family has been into making effigies for Dussehra
(/topic/dussehra) for the last 70 years.
Rahat's three sons, Muhammad Aslam,
Muhammad Addil and Muhammad Arfeen, have been preparing effigies for the last
15 days in the Jakhu temple of Shimla.
Till the effigies are ready, these
people stay at the Jakhu temple and their food is arranged by the temple
management.
Apart from Jakhu, these brothers also
work in making effigies for SankatMochan temple, Shoghi and Sunni areas of
Shimla.
The festival of Dussehra
(/topic/dussehra) will be celebrated with characteristic fervour across the
country on Tuesday.
In Kullu district, Himachal Pradesh
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla will initiate the Dussehra (/topic/dussehra)
celebrations. (ANI)
Source: aninews.in
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the full text of the original
https://www.aninews.in/news/national/general-news/dussehra-muslim-family-from-meerut-checks-into-shimla-temple-for-making-effigies-of-ravana20231024065351/
--------
This Muslim Family Building Massive
Effigies Of Ravana, Kumbhakarna, And Meghnad Keeps Dussehra Sparkling For 40
Years In Vadodara
Oct 24, 2023
VADODARA: When the effigy of Ravana goes
up in flames on Dussehra at Polo Ground here on Tuesday, Mohsin Khan will be
among the hundreds cheering the victory of good over evil. This, even though
the fire will engulf several days of his hard work.
For the past 40 years, Khan's family,
who are from Agra, has been building massive effigies of Ravana, Kumbhakarna,
and Meghnad at the Polo Ground, where the city's biggest Ram Leela is held
annually.
"We travel from Agra to Vadodara to
build the effigies every year," Khan, 27, told TOI.
We travel from Agra to Vadodara to build
the effigies every year. Our team camps in the city for a few days. My
grandfather first came to Vadodara about four decades ago to build Ravana's
effigy at the Polo Ground. Since then, my family has been entrusted with the
work," Mohsin Khan, 27, told TOI.
"My family never faced
discrimination here and does not believe in religious divisions. That's why we
also participate in Ram Leela festivities," Khan said.
Khan's father, Sharafat Ali, improved
the quality and look of the effigies. "We use bamboo, cloth, cotton, and
paper to make the effigies. While Ravana's effigy is about 60 ft tall,
Kumbhakarna and Meghnad are 30 ft high each. It's not an easy task as we must
ensure that the effigies do not fall apart once they are ablaze," Khan
explained.
For the past four decades, locals have
been able to witness Ravana Dahan due to Khan and his family. "The Khans
have been one of the key members of our Ram Leela festivities for 40 years
now," said Praveen Gupta, president of the North Indian Cultural
Association that has been organizing Ram Leela here for 43 years.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/vadodara/this-muslim-family-keeps-dussehra-sparkling-for-40-years-in-vadodara/articleshow/104662709.cms
-------
‘No. 1 In Robbery, Dacoity, Rape’:
Badruddin Ajmal Decries High Crime Rate Among Muslims In Assam
KARISHMA HASNAT
23 October, 2023
Guwahati: Muslim youth cut a sorry
figure when it comes to committing crimes and illegal activities, All India
United Democratic Front (AIUDF) chief Badruddin Ajmal has said, condemning
their lack of interest in studies.
At an event Friday in the
DalgomaAnchalik College, a private college in Assam’s Goalpara district, the
73-year-old leader said that the Muslims top the chart in data of prisoners.
“Crimes like robbery, dacoity, rape,
loot — we are No.1 in all. We are also No.1 in going to jail. Our children find
no time to go to schools and colleges, but find enough time to gamble, to cheat
others. For all such wrong things — ask who’s involved? It’s Muslims. And
that’s sad,” Ajmal said at a meeting of alumni.
“People are going to the moon and the
sun, and we are doing a Ph.D on how to go to jail. Walk into a police station
and you would know who’s in absolute majority — Abdur Rahman, Abdur Rahim,
Abdul Majid, Badruddin, Sirajuddin, Fakruddin…Isn’t it a sad thing?” he said.
Assam had the highest number (60.5
percent ) of Muslims as convicted prisoners in the country in 2021, according
to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data released last year. As many as
49.3 percent of jailed undertrials were Muslims in the state, it added.
Overall, the share of Muslims in India’s
prison population comprising convicts, undertrials, detenues and others was
18.7 percent in 2021, the NCRB report said. This, however, was down from 20.2
percent in 2020.
Muslim population in Assam is 1.07 crore
(34.22 percent) of the total 3.12 crore, according to the 2011 Census. Overall,
the Muslim population stands at about 17.22 crore (14.2 percent) in India.
Ajmal, who has often portrayed himself
as a defender of the Muslims in Assam, focused much of his speech on his claim
that Muslim youth have gone astray, and should be uplifted through rational
thinking and the medium of education.
“Why do you ogle at women in public?
Don’t you have ‘Ma-Boin’ (mother-sister) in your homes? Because of our boys,
girls are not safe in the streets. This is not what Islam teaches. There’s a
single road to our development — education and only education,” he said. “Once
upon a time we were No. 1 in the world when it came to education, it’s no
longer the same.”
“If stomach and pockets are empty, even
love doesn’t seem nice. How long will a hungry man love?” said the AIUDF
supremo, who has often been in headlines for his controversial remarks.
Founded in 2005 by Ajmal, AIUDF
currently holds 9.3 percent vote share and has 16 MLAs in the 126-member Assam
assembly.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Source: theprint.in
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Madrasa Teacher In Gujarat Held For
Sodomising 10 Minor Students
24th October 2023
Masrath Fatima
Ahmedabad: A 25-year-old teacher of a
madrasa in Gujarat’s Junagadh district has been arrested for allegedly
sodomising at least 10 of his minor students, police said.
Apart from the Maulana (teacher), the
police have also arrested a 55-year-old trustee of the madrasa for allegedly
not taking any action on complaints of the students against the teacher,
Junagadh district police said in a statement on Monday.
While the teacher was nabbed from his
hideout in Surat, the madrasa trustee, who had also managed to escape, was
caught from a place in Junagadh on Sunday, said the statement.
Based on a complaint given by a
17-year-old boy, the Mangrol police registered an FIR on Sunday against the two
accused under Indian Penal Code sections 377 (unnatural intercourse), 323 (assault),
506-2 (criminal intimidation) and relevant provisions of the Protection of
Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The offence came to light after one of
the students of the residential school, situated on Mangrol-Veraval bypass,
called his mother using the mobile phone of another maulana a few days back and
complained about the teacher’s sexual gestures and acts with students, the
police statement said.
The woman then approached the police and
told them that the madrasa teacher was allegedly involved in sodomising and
sexually assaulting students residing and studying in the school, it said.
When the police reached the premises on
October 21 and took students into confidence with the help of some Muslim
leaders, 10 boys studying in the madrasa came forward and alleged that they
were “sodomised” by the accused teacher, who had also threatened to kill them
if any student complained to their parents or an outsider.
The police also learnt that when the
students approached the madrasa’s trustee to save themselves from the teacher,
he allegedly did not take any action.
When the trustee realised that a case
will be filed against the teacher, he allegedly helped the latter in fleeing
from the place, the police said.
Junagadh Superintendent of Police Harshad
Mehta visited the madrasa as part of the investigation and assured parents of
the students that the police will conduct an impartial probe into the matter.
Source: siasat.com
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Kartarpur Corridor unites Pakistani
Muslim with Sikh friend after 76 years
Oct 24, 2023
AMRITSAR: Separated by Partition,
Pakistani octogenarian Mohammad Ismail, a Muslim, and his close family friend,
Surinder Kaur, a Sikh, were reunited by fate and social media at the Kartarpur
Corridor in the twilight of their lives.
Pakistan's Project Management Unit (PMU)
chief executive officer (CEO) Muhammad Abu Bakar Aftab Qureshi reported their
reunion from Kartarpur'sGurdwara Darbar Sahib on Monday. Their families lived
at Shahkot village in Jalandhar district before the country got divided in
1947.
Muhammad Ismail Ali, son of Mubarak Ali,
said: "During Partition, I was aged about 8 or 9, yet I recall the events
vividly. My family migrated to Pakistan during the bloodbath, but after 76
years, we reconnected will old friends through social media. Surinder Kaur is
daughter of my Mama Chacha'sustad (tutor), and our families had close
relations."
One of his interviews to a blogger was
seen in Australia by someone who knew Surinder Kaur and he connected them over
the internet two years ago, but they couldn't visit each other due to visa
issues. Ismail said: "Almost every day, I'd call her and or she'd call me.
Thanks to the Almighty that we were at least able to see each other at
last." Kaur said Ismail was like her brother. Ismail appealed to the both
governments for simplifying the visa system to let him at least visit his birthplace
in India before death.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Europe
UK government has no plans to ban use of
word ‘jihad’
October 23, 2023
LONDON: The UK government has no plans
to endow police with new powers to arrest people for using the word “jihad” in
relation to pro-Palestine protests.
The expression has caused controversy
after protestors were filmed chanting it at a demonstration in central London
on Saturday.
The Metropolitan Police stated on social
media that specialist officers had determined no criminal offense had occurred.
However, Home Secretary SuellaBraverman met with police commissioner Sir Mark
Rowley, during which she challenged him on that assertion.
The word has several meanings, including
“struggle” or “effort” in a spiritual context, but can also be employed to mean
holy war.
Hizb ut-Tahrir, the group that organized
the protest in question, said on its website that its demonstration was a
response to the “brutal oppression” of the Palestinian people by Israel.
“The word (jihad) has a number of
meanings, but we know the public will most commonly associate it with
terrorism,” the Met said.
“Specialist officers have assessed the
video and have not identified any offenses arising from the specific clip. We
have also sought advice from specialist Crown Prosecution Service lawyers, who
have reached the same conclusion.
“However, recognizing the way language
like this will be interpreted by the public and the divisive impact it will
have, officers identified the man involved and spoke to him to discourage any
repeat of similar chanting.”
A source close to the home secretary
claimed: “There can be no place for incitement to hatred or violence on
Britain’s streets and, as the home secretary has made clear, the police are
urged to crack down on anyone breaking the law.”
This was echoed by Labour leader Sir
Keir Starmer, who suggested the government should address “gaps in the law”
that allow people to use the expression to incite hate or violence.
“There’s been a huge increase in hate
crime in the last couple of weeks, tragically,” added Sir Keir. “We’ve all got
a duty to clamp down on hate crime whatever political party we’re in.
“Obviously, the police are independent
operationally, so these are decisions for them.
“I think there have already been
identified some gaps in the law in a previous review under this government, and
I think the government needs to look at whether there are gaps in the law that
need to be addressed as well,” he said.
Transport Secretary Mark Harper also
described the footage of the use of the word at the protest as “disturbing” in
an interview with Sky News and urged the Met to use “the full force of the
law.”
However, a spokesperson for the prime
minister said he was “not aware” of any government plans to do so.
On Sunday, Immigration Minister Robert
Jenrick told Sky that prosecutions were “an operational matter” for the police
and CPS.
The Jewish Community Security Trust
organization, though, said the Met had given the “impression of legitimizing
obnoxious and hateful behavior” to protestors.
Source: arabnews.com
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UK police chief defends force’s decision
not to arrest chanters of ‘jihad’ at anti-Israel protest
24.10.2023
The head of Britain’s biggest police
department responded Monday to criticism of his force's decision not to make
arrests following chants of "jihad" at an anti-Israel protest in
London over the weekend.
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark
Rowley defended the police, arguing they cannot enforce "taste and
decency" and suggested that if politicians want tougher action to be
taken, they should consider changing the laws, the Guardian website reported.
The issue came to the forefront after a
rally organized Saturday by the Islamist Hizb ut-Tahrir group, during which
participants chanted "jihad."
Home Secretary SuellaBraverman met with
Rowley on Monday to seek clarification on why no arrests were made in
connection with the incident.
"I was explaining how we are
absolutely ruthless in tackling anybody who puts their foot over the legal
line. We are accountable to the law – we can’t enforce taste or decency – but
we can enforce the law. We’ve made 34 arrests so far…We have another 22
cases…where we are searching for individuals," said Rowley.
"The conversation finished around
the line of the law. It’s our job to enforce to that line. It’s parliament’s
job to draw that line. Maybe events of the moment are illustrating that some of
the lines aren’t quite in the right place," he added.
On Oct, 10, just days after the current
Middle East conflict began, Braverman issued a warning to police chiefs over
displays of Palestinian flags on British streets.
She suggested that waving the flag
"may not be legitimate" if it is seen as a show of support for
terrorism.
She provided examples of protest actions
which she believed could potentially constitute public order offenses,
including targeting Jewish neighborhoods, waving pro-Palestinian or pro-Hamas
symbols, and chanting slogans that could be interpreted as anti-Israeli.
The conflict in Gaza, which has been
under Israeli bombardment and a blockade since Oct. 7, began when the
Palestinian group Hamas initiated Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, a multi-pronged
surprise attack that included a barrage of rocket launches and infiltrations
into Israel by land, sea and air.
It said the incursion was in retaliation
for the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and growing violence by Israeli settlers
against Palestinians.
The Israeli military then launched
Operation Swords of Iron against Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip.
The Palestinian death toll from ongoing
Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip has climbed to 5,087, the Health Ministry
in the blockaded enclave said on Monday.
“The fatalities include 2,055 children,
1,119 women and 217 elders,” ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra told a news
conference in Gaza City.
He said 15,273 people were also injured
in the Israeli attacks.
More than 1,400 Israelis have been
killed in Hamas attacks since Oct. 7, according to Israeli authorities.
Source: aa.com.tr
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London underground driver suspended for
‘Free Palestine’ chant
24 Oct 2023
LONDON, Oct 24 — A train driver on
London’s underground was suspended yesterday for apparently leading passengers
in a chant of “free, free Palestine”, transport officials said.
The driver has been temporarily removed
from duty pending further investigation, Transport for London (TfL) — which
runs the metro network — said in a statement.
The incident happened on Saturday as
about 100,000 protesters took part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the
British capital.
Video footage that circulated on social
media appears to show the driver saying “free, free” over the train’s tannoy
system.
Passengers in a packed carriage then
respond by shouting “Palestine”.
The chant is popular at demonstrations
in solidarity with Palestinians.
“We have been urgently and thoroughly
investigating the footage appearing to show a Tube driver misusing the PA
system and leading chants on a Central line train on Saturday,” Glynn Barton,
TfL’s chief operating officer, said.
“A driver has now been identified and
suspended whilst we continue to fully investigate the incident in line with our
policies and procedures.”
Britain’s security minister, Tom
Tugendhat, had wrote on X (formerly Twitter) that many will have found the
video “intimidating”.
Israel’s embassy in Britain said it was
“deeply troubling to see such intolerance” on London’s underground.
Since shock Hamas attacks on Israel on
October 7 — which left 1,400 dead — Israeli air and ground bombardments of Gaza
have killed more than 5,000 people in the Palestinian enclave, according to
Hamas authorities. — AFP
Source: malaymail.com
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Uncharted territories: The overlooked
demographic of Gen Z British Muslim travelers
OCTOBER 24, 2023
By Arif Miah
When the term ‘British Muslim travels’
is brought up, what comes to mind for many are images rooted in immigration or
people visiting ‘back home’ whilst living, studying or working abroad.
This perception is fuelled by
stereotypical portrayals in mainstream media and outdated brand communications,
but it’s far from the dynamic traveling trends of the 3.9 million Muslims who
call the UK their home. They expect so much more to enrich their traveling and
holiday experiences as they take a break from the regular to explore and be
inspired – especially British Muslim Gen Zs.
Are British Muslim gen Zs overlooked?
When it comes to travel and tourism, gen
Z British Muslims is a group that’s over a million strong – but it’s still a
group that’s often forgotten in brand communications. It’s a vibrant,
adventurous, and dynamic group with a passion for exploring the world. The
people who make up that group are probably among the most overlooked
demographics on our doorstep, making up one in ten of all British gen Zs.
There’s a huge commercial opportunity
for airlines, travel companies, and booking platforms here. Yet we rarely see
targeted efforts to engage this underserved audience.
Exploration, beyond borders
The overwhelming majority of British
Muslim gen Zs were born and raised in the UK, but what sets them apart is that
a substantial proportion are active thrill seekers. Their idea of holidaymaking
is not limited to visiting ancestral lands, but extends to exploring the far
reaches of the world, seeking adrenaline-packed adventures, and immersive
cultural experiences.
Our recent travel & tourism study
found that one in three call themselves adrenaline seekers, hungry for the
thrill of diving from the sky, the rush of ziplining through exotic landscapes,
and the awe of exploring the underwater world through scuba diving. The term
‘halal highs’ has been used to signpost unforgettable activities that meet
their religious and cultural needs. ‘halal highs’ isn’t just a catchphrase;
it’s a lifestyle built around adventurous experiences that align with their
faith and values.
Opportunities for brands in the business
of tourism
The narrative surrounding Muslim
travelers is often restricted, outdated, and doesn’t echo the lives of these
young, dynamic individuals. In our study, we found that 65% of British Muslims
aged between 19-26 embark on at least one holiday a year – with their top
destinations including Turkey, Morocco, and Dubai for their Muslim-friendly
environments and wide range of activities.
Two people skydiving
But where are the brands that engage
this active, vibrant audience, ready for adventure? Without brand support,
these consumers are currently left to freestyle their holiday plans by flicking
through TikTok and researching online. They’re calling for brands to fill this
gap, streamlining, supporting and inspiring British Muslim traveling.
A staggering 81% of gen Z British
Muslims expressed a desire for more representation in travel advertising. That
speaks to their unique blend of British and Muslim identity. They crave
inclusivity, not just in imagery, but in messaging and offerings tailored to
their distinct lifestyle. Yet, the industry seems to lag, catering to
stereotypes rather than the dynamic realities. While the world of travel and
tourism has made strides in diversity, it often misses the mark in
authentically capturing the British Muslim experience, particularly of the
younger generation.
Uncharted territory?
So, to the travel and tourism industry,
this is an invitation not just to observe but to act, and work with partners to
transform these insights into actionable strategies. While it may be uncharted
territory for your brand, British Muslims have their bags packed to discover
and explore the new.
There’s no shortcut to this. It requires
an immersion, an authentic effort to understand, engage, and cater to this
demographic. It’s about recognizing that ‘halal holidays’ aren’t just about
halal food and prayer spaces but encompass a broader narrative of adventure,
thrill, and unforgettable experiences that align with their values.
As a specialist agency leading the
intricate interplay of cultural nuances of Muslim life and market dynamics,
we’ve uncovered and engaged with this demographic. The insights are clear, the
potential is enormous, and the opportunity is ripe for the taking.
Source: thedrum.com
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Rishi Sunak says calls for jihad are
'threat to our democratic values'
Michael Howie
24 October 2023
Police are unlikely to be given more
powers to address chants deemed to be extremist after comments at a Palestine
rally over the weekend, the Prime Minister has signalled.
That is despite suggestions from the
Metropolitan Police chief that laws may need to be redrawn, amid concerns about
gaps in current anti-extremism legislation.
Home Secretary SuellaBraverman met on
Monday with Sir Mark Rowley, where she had been expected to discuss the force’s
handling of a pro-Palestinian protester chanting “jihad”.
Officers had said no offences were
identified in the footage from the demonstration in central London over the
weekend.
Addressing MPs, Rishi Sunak said: “Where
there are gaps in the law, we’re happy to address and look at those.
“But we do believe at the moment the
police do have the powers to arrest those who are inciting violence or racial
hatred, there is no place on our streets for that type of behaviour and we will
work extensively to clarify the guidance to officers on the ground so they are
aware fully about the powers and tools that are available to them to make sure
these people feel the force of the law.”
He said calls for "jihad and Muslim
armies to rise up" are a "threat to the Jewish community".
Mr Sunak said: "Hateful extremism
has no place in our society. Calls for jihad and Muslim armies to rise up are
not only a threat to the Jewish community but also a threat to our democratic
values.
"Of course the police are
operationally independent, but the Home Secretary has raised this with
them."
The Met had pointed out that jihad has
“a number of meanings”, and said that specialist counter-terrorism officers had
not identified any offences arising from the specific clip from Saturday.
Instead, officers spoke to the man to
“discourage any repeat of similar chanting”.
The Met chief defended the approach
taken by the force, as he suggested that recent demonstrations had shown
current rules need “redrawing”.
Sir Mark, before he headed the Met, was
involved in a report from 2021 that urged ministers to do more to tackle
extremism.
The official watchdog the Commission for
Countering Extremism concluded then that gaps within current legislation had
left it harder to tackle “hateful extremism”.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting
with the Home Secretary, Sir Mark said: “We are absolutely ruthless in tackling
anybody who puts their foot over the legal line. We’re accountable for the law.
We can’t enforce taste or decency, but we can enforce the law.”
The law that we’ve designed around hate
crime and terrorism over recent decades hasn’t taken full account of the
ability in extremist groups to steer around those laws and propagating the
truly toxic messages through social media
Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir
Mark Rowley
He added: “The conversation finished
really around the line of the law. It’s our job to enforce to that line. It’s
Parliament’s job to draw that line. And the thought that maybe events at the
moment … maybe some of the lines aren’t quite in the right place.”
Sir Mark went on: “The law that we’ve
designed around hate crime and terrorism over recent decades hasn’t taken full
account of the ability in extremist groups to steer around those laws and
propagating the truly toxic messages through social media.
“Those lines probably need redrawing.”
Former commissioner for countering
extremism Dame Sara Khan was among those involved in the report that urged
Government action on extremism.
“The Government has not closed or
addressed these gaps in the legislation that our report highlighted,” she told
BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
“The word jihad does have a range of
different meanings and the Met were right to make that point. I think it is
really important that what we tried to highlight with the report is that there
is a subsection of extremist activity in this country that extremist groups
operate and exploit.”
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer also
urged ministers to look at addressing “gaps in the law” as he warned of a “huge
increase” in hate crimes in recent weeks.
A video posted on social media shows a
man speaking into a microphone on Saturday in front of a banner reading “Muslim
Armies! Rescue the People of Palestine”.
The main speaker asks: “What is the
solution to liberate people from the concentration camp called Palestine?”
A man standing to the side of the
speaker, but neither on a platform nor speaking into the microphone, can then
be heard chanting words including “jihad”, as can some others attending the
protest.
Other clips posted on social media from
the same protest show demonstrators using the microphone to speak about a
“solution” of “jihad”.
The word can mean struggle or effort,
but it has also been taken to refer to holy war.
The Met said that specialist Crown
Prosecution Service lawyers had agreed no offence could be identified in the
footage from the Hizb ut-Tahrir protest, which was separate to the main rally.
A Home Office readout of the meeting
said that Ms Braverman “recognised the complexities of the law in policing
aspects of these protests and prosecutor decisions”.
“The Home Secretary and all of
Government supports the police as they continue to enforce the law against
anyone suspected of committing an offence, and will ensure the police have
everything they need to maintain law and order.”
Concerns were also raised about
interventions by a home secretary in operational policing.
Former director of public prosecutions
Lord Macdonald has said the Home Secretary needed to be a “bit careful”.
“I don’t think it’s right for the Home
Secretary to be assuming the power herself to dictate what those decisions
should be. I imagine she is not doing that, I imagine she is simply expressing
a view. But it is a view coming from the Home Secretary and that can have a
power of its own,” he told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme.
Source: yahoo.com
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UK imams condemn killing of civilians in
Israel, Gaza
23 October, 2023
Chandrashekar Bhat
MORE than a dozen Muslim faith leaders
in the UK have come together to “unequivocally” condemn the killing of
civilians both in Israel and Gaza.
Hamas gunmen intruded into southern
Israel earlier this month, killing around 1,400 people and abducting dozens.
Gaza’s health ministry said some 5,000 people died in the retaliatory strikes
by Tel Aviv as the situation triggered a fresh humanitarian crisis in the
Middle East.
In a joint statement, Imam Qari Asim of
the Makkah Mosque in Leeds and 14 other Muslim scholars said they denounced
“Hamas’ killing and abduction of innocent people on the 7th of October 2023 as
well as the Israeli military’s subsequent use of excessive force.”
“As we watch the heart-wrenching scenes
of Al Ahli Arab Hospital burning, we are reminded that the killing and
destruction against innocent men, women and children is deplorable and is
contrary to the principles of justice and humanity that we hold dear in our
faith.”
Hundreds of people died after an explosion
destroyed the Al Ahli Arab Hospital in Gaza on Tuesday (17) with Hamas and
Israel blaming each other for the tragedy.
The imams urged Israel to act with
restraint and within the boundaries of international law.
“The complete siege on Gaza has resulted
in immense suffering and recent actions are intensifying a humanitarian crisis
of untold proportions upon Palestinians, who are not responsible for the
actions of Hamas.”
The faith leaders appealed to the
international community to pursue diplomatic and political avenues to end “all
hostilities”.
They also condemned “all acts of
Antisemitism or Islamophobia that have taken place on our streets here in
Britain.”
“No one should feel unsafe in their own
neighbourhoods and in this country. Mutual respect and dialogue between Muslim
and Jewish communities at home and abroad, along with a shared commitment to
peace, justice, and the safety of all communities are ever more important.
“We also affirm the right of communities
across the country to show their solidarity and support for both Palestinians
and Israelis caught up in this conflict, in line with British laws surrounding
freedom of speech and protest.”
Source: easterneye.biz
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EU member objects to ‘fast track
membership’ for Ukraine
23 Oct, 2023
Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter
Szijjarto condemned the EU’s efforts to pressure his country into fast-tracking
Ukraine’s accession for “security reasons,” during a press conference on
Monday.
Speaking after an EU Foreign Affairs
Council meeting in Luxembourg, Szijjarto insisted that “The European Union is
not a security organization, it is a political-economic integration, so it is
completely unacceptable for us to justify a country’s future membership solely
for security reasons.” He accused Brussels of trying to fast-track Ukraine’s
accession to the bloc.
Funding the installation of arms
production or military training facilities in Ukraine, as the European
Commission did with a €20 billion proposal for security guarantees during the
meeting, was also “completely unacceptable,” Szijjarto continued. He pointed
out that the country was still an active conflict zone and placing EU assets
there would “immediately drag the European Union into war.”
In addition to promoting military
investment in Ukraine and further sanctions on Russia, the proposal earmarked
€5 billion for new arms deliveries to Kiev every year for the next four years –
numbers that made no sense in the absence of continued fighting, the foreign
minister pointed out.
“So everything about the war is in it,
but unfortunately there is still nothing in this proposal that talks about how
there will be peace. Clearly, the European approach, the Brussels approach to
the events in Ukraine is still pro-war,” he lamented, arguing the bloc is
infected with “war psychosis.”
Meanwhile, Szijjarto said, some of his
colleagues were admitting to “Ukraine fatigue,” meaning that public interest in
the conflict was waning, especially given the outbreak of new hostilities in
the Middle East. This only increased the urgency of ending the conflict in
Ukraine, he said, warning that the conditions for peace would only worsen as
more men died on the battlefield.
The Hungarian diplomat has repeatedly
counseled the EU against the “serious mistakes” it is making in funding and
arming the Ukrainian military while antagonizing Russia, warning that
continuing to supply arms will only prolong the conflict and lead to more
killing.
Last month, Szijjarto stated that
Hungary would block Ukraine’s accession to the EU as long as it continued to
discriminate against the Hungarian ethnic minority living in the western part
of the country, pointing to several controversial laws enacted since the 2014
US-backed coup in Kiev that have mandated the use of the Ukrainian language.
Source: rt.com
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Humanitarian crisis in Gaza must be
avoided: Borrell
Oct 24, 2023
TEHRAN, Oct. 24 (MNA) – European Union's
(EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy has said that
the humanitarian crisis in Gaza must be avoided "as far as possible".
JosepBorrell made the remarks at talks
on the Israeli regime-Hamas conflict during the EU's Foreign Affairs Council in
Luxembourg.
"We have to avoid as far as
possible a humanitarian crisis in Gaza. In order to achieve this, it is
absolutely imperative that we provide humanitarian aid and that the people who
need it have access to it," Xinhua quoted Borrell as saying.
"We have had some first convoys,
but not many," he said. Before the conflict, "there were about 100
lorries a day crossing into Gaza, now it is about 20 a day and the needs are
even greater now than before."
"These first convoys are a positive
signal, but we have to increase the number and the speed with which the convoys
go in," he added. "We have to provide medicine, food, and the
ministers agreed that we also need to provide the fuel that is necessary to
make the desalination plants work."
A convoy of 20 trucks entered Gaza
through Rafah on Saturday, the first in two weeks since the escalation of tensions
between the Israeli regime and Palestinians.
The Israeli regime launched the war on
Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian Hamas Resistance group waged a surprise
attack, dubbed Operation Al-Aqsa Storm, against the occupying entity.
Hamas said that its operation came in
response to the Israeli regime’s violations at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied
East al-Quds and growing Zionist settler violence.
The Zionist regime has killed and
injured thousands of Palestinians in its relentless airstrikes. It has also
blocked water, food, and electricity to Gaza, plunging the coastal sliver into
a humanitarian crisis.
Source: mehrnews.com
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North America
Obama warns some of Israel’s actions in
Gaza may backfire
October 24, 2023
WASHINGTON: Some of Israel’s actions in
its war against Hamas, like cutting off food and water for Gaza, could “harden
Palestinian attitudes for generations” and weaken international support for
Israel, former US President Barack Obama said on Monday.
In rare comments on an active foreign
policy crisis, Obama said any Israeli military strategy that ignores the human
costs of the war “could ultimately backfire.”
“The Israeli government’s decision to
cut off food, water and electricity to a captive civilian population (in Gaza)
threatens not only to worsen a growing humanitarian crisis; it could further
harden Palestinian attitudes for generations, erode global support for Israel,
play into the hands of Israel’s enemies, and undermine long-term efforts to
achieve peace and stability in the region,” Obama said.
Israel has heavily bombarded Gaza with
air strikes since Hamas’ Oct. 7 assault on Israel left over 1,400 people dead.
Israel’s air strikes have killed more than 5,000 Palestinians, Gaza officials
say.
Obama condemned Hamas’ attack and
reiterated his support for Israel’s right to defend itself, while cautioning
about risks to civilians in such wars.
It was not clear whether Obama had
coordinated his statement with US President Joe Biden, who served as his vice
president for eight years.
During his presidency, Obama often
backed Israel’s right to self-defense at the start of conflicts with
Palestinian Islamist group Hamas in Gaza, but quickly called for Israeli
restraint once Palestinian casualties mounted from airstrikes.
Gaza, a 45 km-long (25-mile) strip of
land that is home to 2.3 million people, has been ruled politically since 2007
by Hamas, an Iran-backed Islamist group, but faces a blockade from Israel.
The Obama administration sought, but
ultimately failed to broker, a peace deal in negotiations between Israel and
the Palestinians.
Since taking office in early 2021, Biden
has not tried to resume long-stalled talks, saying that leaders on both sides
were too intransigent and the climate was not right.
Obama and Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu had a testy relationship when Obama was in office, including
when Obama’s administration was negotiating a nuclear deal with Iran.
Biden, as Obama’s vice president, often
acted as a mediator between the two men.
In his statement on Monday, Obama
acknowledged that the US had itself “fallen short of our higher values when
engaged in war,” especially after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396636/middle-east
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CAIR-Sacramento Valley/Central
California Calls for Hate Crime Charges in Truck Attack at Fresno Palestine
Support Rally
Ibrahim Hooper
October 23, 2023
(FRESNO, CA, 10/23/23) – The Council on
American Islamic Relations Sacramento Valley/Central California (CAIR-SV/CC) is
deeply concerned about recent incidents that occurred at a pro-Palestine rally
in Fresno this past weekend.
During this event, a man driving a truck
was seen yelling at Palestine supporters, making shooting gestures with his
hands, and exchanging words with a protest attendee on a bicycle. He then
attacked the individual on the bicycle causing the bicycle to be damaged. Then,
he intentionally accelerated his truck into a group of protestors, and ran over
a woman, causing her severe injuries that required surgery. The woman was a
bystander who was trying to intervene on behalf of the attendee on the
bicycle.
CAIR-SV/CC is deeply concerned that
these attacks may have been motivated by hate, including anti-Palestinian
sentiments, and we are calling on law enforcement authorities to investigate
these incidents as hate crimes. Hate crimes are not only an attack on the
individual victims but are also an assault on our society’s values of
tolerance, free expression, and inclusivity.
In a statement, CAIR-SV/CC Senior Civil
Rights Attorney, LayliShirani, said:
“We are alarmed by the brutality of
these attacks and the role of bias, hatred, and anti-Palestinian sentiments
motivating these acts of violence. We call on law enforcement to thoroughly
investigate these incidents as potential hate crimes, and to ensure that the
perpetrators are brought to justice.”
CAIR-SV/CC stands in solidarity with the
victims of these senseless acts, the Palestinian community, their allies, and
their families. We urge the community to remain vigilant, support peaceful
expressions of free speech, and to report any suspicious or hate-motivated
activities to the local authorities and CAIR-SV/CC. It is only by working
together that we can build a society that is free from discrimination,
violence, and hate.
CAIR-SV/CC is a chapter of CAIR,
America’s largest Muslim civil liberties and advocacy organization. Its mission
is to enhance understanding of Islam, protect civil rights, promote justice,
and empower American Muslims.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-sacramento-valley-central-california-calls-for-hate-crime-charges-in-truck-attack-at-fresno-palestine-support-rally/
---------
CAIR-NY Condemns NYPD’s Aggressive Dispersing
of Crowd at Pro-Palestine Protest in Brooklyn
Ismail Allison
October 23, 2023
(NEW YORK, NY, 10/23/2023)—The New York
chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-NY) today condemned
the NYPD’s aggressive actions in dispersing the crowd at a pro-Palestine
protest in Bay Ridge this past Saturday.
On Saturday, Oct. 21, thousands gathered
in Bay Ridge for a pro-Palestine protest organized by Within Our Lifetime. The
NYPD, and its Strategic Response Group issued a warning for protesters to
disperse and within minutes allegedly began arresting protesters without
warning, shoving people, and attacking protesters. The NYPD confirmed 19
individuals were arrested, 3 of whom were minors. A video circulated by the
organizers appears to show a uniformed NYPD officer throwing punches as the
crowd attempted to disperse.
In a statement, CAIR-NY Executive
Director AfafNasher said:
“The alleged actions of the NYPD’s
Strategic Response Group in violently dispersing a peaceful crowd speaks to the
degradation of our civil rights, especially when it comes to pro-Palestinian solidarity.
The relationship between the NYPD and the Muslim community was already on thin
ice, and these latest actions only illustrate why.
The NYPD’s motto ‘Courtesy,
Professionalism and Respect’ certainly doesn’t seem to apply to all communities
equally. CAIR-NY joins other civil rights organizations in calling for the
disbandment of the Strategic Response Group.”
CAIR-NY’s mission is to protect civil
rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American
Muslims.
La misión de CAIR-NY esproteger las
libertadesciviles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y
empoderar a losmusulmanesenlosEstadosUnidos.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-ny-condemns-nypds-aggressive-dispersing-of-crowd-at-pro-palestine-protest-in-brooklyn/
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CAIR-LA to Host Press Conference on
Behalf of Palestinian-Americans Trapped in Gaza
Ismail Allison
October 23, 2023
(LOS ANGELES, CA – 10/23/2023) – On
Thursday, Oct. 26, the Greater Los Angeles Area office of the Council on
American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-LA) will hold a press conference with
Palestinian-Americans in Orange County whose family members are currently
trapped in Gaza.
An estimated 600 American citizens are
currently stranded in Gaza. A diplomatic deal between the U.S., Egypt, and
Israel was meant to allow the Americans in Gaza to evacuate safely during a
five-hour window through the Rafah border into Egypt. However, Palestinian
officials did not receive communication about the border’s opening from
Egyptian officials, and ultimately, no one was able to cross.
Egypt has been reluctant to fully
re-open the border, which was closed after it was hit by multiple Israeli
strikes. The U.S. State Department does not have officials at the border but
continues to advise Americans in Gaza to go to the crossing.
These stranded American citizens, along
with the people of Gaza, face a dire situation as Israel continues to block
trucks delivering fuel, food, and other forms of humanitarian aid from entering
Gaza through the Rafah border.
CAIR-LA is calling on President Biden to
immediately evacuate all Palestinian Americans currently trapped in Gaza, as he
did for nearly 300 Americans in Israel.
Source: cair.com
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https://www.cair.com/press_releases/cair-la-to-host-press-conference-on-behalf-of-palestinian-americans-trapped-in-gaza/
---------
Mother of Palestinian-American Boy
Killed in ‘Anti-Muslim Attack’ Released From Hospital
10/24/23
The Chicago area mother who was wounded
in the alleged anti-Muslim stabbing attack that killed her 6-year-old son,
Wadea Al-Fayoume, has been released from the hospital.
Hanaan Shahin, 32 was stabbed a dozen
times by her landlord, according to authorities. She and Wadea were targeted
“due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving
Hamas and the Israelis,” police said.
Shahin, a Palestinian-American, was
released from the hospital Thursday, according to the Council on
American-Islamic Relations Chicago, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy group
that has been supporting the family.
Her son, Wadea, was killed after being
stabbed 26 times by a military style knife by their white landlord, Joseph
Czuba, 71, as he shouted "you Muslims must die," according to
authorities.
Shahin was able to call 911 from her
home in Plainfield, about 35 miles west of Chicago, for help in the midst of the alleged attack
at her home.
Court papers stated that Czuba
confronted Shahin over what was going on in the Middle East, and then an
argument turned physical.
"Czuba was angry at her over what
was going on in Jerusalem. She responded by saying, 'Let's pray for peace.' He
didn't give her time. He then attacked her with a knife," Assistant
State's Attorney Michael Fitzgerald said at Czuba’s arraignment — which
happened as the boy was buried last week.
Czuba had been listening to conservative
talk radio and had become enraged over the war in the Middle East, according to
court papers.
The landlord was charged with both state
and federal hate crimes, first-degree murder, and attempted murder. Federal
authorities, including the FBI and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of
Justice, have also launched investigations into the attack.
Shahin moved to the United States about
a decade ago from the city of Beitunia in Palestine’s West Bank, fleeing
conflict in the Middle East, the Chicago Tribune reported.
While Shahin missed her son’s funeral
due to her injuries, hundreds turned up to support and honor the boy’s short
life.
“This is an attack on all of us. When
this individual says ‘you Muslims must die,’ this was a message not to the boy
and the mother, but to all of us,” Rehab said. “We were all stabbed that
day," Ahmed Rehab, Executive Director of the Chicago Office of the Council
on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), said at Wadea's funeral.
"It pains me that the sacrificial
lamb of this atmosphere was this beautiful young six year old boy who had his
whole life ahead of him."
Source: themessenger.com
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Arab Wold
Saudi, Guinean defense ministers discuss
cooperation
October 24, 2023
RIYADH: Prince Khalid bin Salman, Saudi
Arabia’s Minister of Defense, has received his Guinean counterpart Aboubacar
Sidiki Camara.
The pair discussed bilateral relations
and explored ways to enhance defense cooperation during the meeting.
“We also discussed regional and
international developments, as well as other topics of mutual interest,” Prince
Khalid said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Separately, South Korean President Yoon
Suk Yeol received on Monday Prince Khalid and Saudi Minister of National Guard
Prince Abdullah bin Bandar during his visit to the Kingdom.
The meeting discussed bilateral
coordination and ways to enhance military industries and defense cooperation.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396641/saudi-arabia
---------
Saudi Arabia, South Korea issue joint
statement at end of president’s visit to Riyadh
October 24, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia and South Korea
issued on Monday a joint statement following the visit of President Yoon Suk
Yeol to the Kingdom.
During a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the two sides discussed ways to enhance
bilateral cooperation and relation, in addition to the latest regional and
international developments.
South Korea welcomed Saudi Arabia’s bid
to host the 2034 World Cup, and expressed its confidence in the Kingdom’s
organizational ability and advanced capabilities in the sports field.
The two sides praised the positive
results following the crown prince’s visit to South Korea on November 18, 2022,
which coincided with the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the
two countries.
The Korean president reaffirmed support
for the Saudi Vision 2030, commending the remarkable progress achieved by this
vision under the leadership of the crown prince.
The two sides praised the pivotal role
of the Saudi-Korean Joint Vision 2030 Committee in achieving the goals of the
Saudi Vision 2030.
The two sides welcomed the growth in the
volume of trade exchange between the two countries by 400 times since the
establishment of relations in 1962.
The two countries agreed to discuss
opportunities to expand investments in hydrogen, smart cities, future means of
transportation, and emerging companies.
They also welcomed the agreement to
establish an automobile assembly plant in the Kingdom through a joint project
between a Korean company and the Saudi Public Investment Fund, in addition to
the shipyard being built in the Eastern region, which will be completed by June
2024.
The two sides welcomed the establishment
of a joint fund worth $160 million in June 2023 as a follow-up to the agreement
between the Saudi Venture Investment Company (SVC) and Korea Venture Investment
Corporation (KVIC) signed during the visit of
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to Korea last year.
Saudi Arabia welcomed the
decarbonization alliance proposed by South Korea.
The Korean side also welcomed the
Kingdom’s launch of the Saudi & Middle East Green Initiatives.
The Kingdom and Korea welcomed the
signing of the agreement on mutual exemption from short-stay visa requirements
for holders of diplomatic, private and official passports.
Regarding the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, the two countries reiterated their rejection of targeting civilians
in any way.
They stressed the importance of
protecting civilians in accordance with international law and international
humanitarian law, and agreed to work with the international community to
deliver humanitarian aid urgently and without obstacles to civilians.
The two sides stressed the importance of
intensifying efforts to prevent further escalation of the conflict, and
stressed the necessity of finding a political solution to the Palestinian issue
and reaching a lasting peace on the basis of the two-state solution.
South Korea expressed its appreciation
for the efforts of the Kingdom's leadership in this regard, including the Arab
Peace Initiative.
Source: arabnews.com
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Saudi crown prince receives letters from
leaders of Qatar, Cuba, Kyrgyzstan
October 24, 2023
RIYADH: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
received letters on Monday from the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, Cuban
President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez and former President Raul Castro, and
Kyrgyzstan’s Prime Minister AkylbekJaparov, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
The messages were received by Saudi
Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji during separate
meetings in Riyadh with the countries’ ambassadors to the Kingdom.
The letters related to the Kingdom’s
relations with Qatar, Cuba and Kyrgyzstan respectively.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396601/saudi-arabia
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Saudi crown prince receives phone call
from Ukraine president
October 23, 2023
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call from the President of Ukraine
Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.
During the call, relations between the
two countries were discussed, and developments in the Ukrainian-Russian crisis
were reviewed.
They also discussed developments in
regional events and efforts made to achieve peace and stability.
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396581/saudi-arabia
--------
Pakistan
Senate to finally meet this week on Gaza
situation
Iftikhar A. Khan
October 24, 2023
ISLAMABAD: The upper house of parliament
will finally be meeting this week for the first time since the caretaker set-up
took up the reins of power, to discuss the situation in Gaza.
The announcement came three days after
the PPP, with support from PTI, JI, JUI-F, and some other parties, submitted a
requisition carrying 44 signatures to summon the Senate session.
Despite the significance of the Palestine
issue, the Senate secretariat, however, chose to make a controversial
announcement on Monday regarding the session.
The secretariat did not mention the
requisition which was the basis of the Senate chairman’s decision to convene
the house, rather highlighting two letters, which otherwise carry no legal
weightage, written by PML-N and BAP senators.
“Chairman Senate of Pakistan, Mohammad
Sadiq Sanjrani, has decided to convene a session of the Senate during this
week to address the pressing issue of the ongoing Palestine situation,
following the barbaric bombings by the Zionist Israeli Army in Besieged
Gaza Strip,” the Senate secretariat announced.
Prominent among the parties which did
not sign the requisition included PML-N, BAP, ANP and MQM. While making the
announcement, the Senate secretariat mentioned the letters written to the
Senate chairman by Leader of the House Ishaq Dar and BAP parliamentary leader
Manzoor Kakar, urging him to convene a session of the upper house of parliament
to discuss and deliberate on the Palestine situation.
A PPP lawmaker, when contacted, chided
Senator Dar for writing to the Senate chairman, pointing out that he could not
convene a session in the absence of a requisition. “If he was so serious about
a Senate session, he should have written to the prime minister for an advice to
the president to summon the house.” He said the letter was nothing but a
‘face-saving exercise’.
The last session of Senate was held on
August 9. While two attempts were made by the PPP to convene a Senate session
in September, both were blocked through controversial rejection of the
requisitions.
Former Senate deputy chairman Saleem
Mandviwalla expressed surprise over the mention of letters written by Mr
Dar and Mr Kakar instead of the formal requisition. Talking to Dawn, he said
none of them had signed the requisition. He also explained that the chairman
could not summon the session on the basis of such letters.
Regretting the ‘misleading’ statement
issued by the Senate secretariat, the former custodian of the upper house said
the chairman could only summon a session on the basis of a requisition, which
would be the case with the upcoming session requisitioned by 44 senators. The
only other way was the government calling a session, he said.
Source: dawn.com
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---------
Peshawar protesters urge UN to stop
Israeli atrocities in Gaza
October 23, 2023
PESHAWAR: Workers of different political
parties and student organisations on Sunday staged protests demonstrations to
condemn the Israeli brutalities against Palestinians and express their
sympathies with the families of victims in Gaza.
In their separate demonstrations, the
workers of Jamaat-i-Islami minority wing and Imamia Students Organisation (ISO)
outside Peshawar Press club set on fire the Israeli flag and chanted slogans
against the Zionist forces.
The rallies were also attended by children.
The participants of the rallies were carrying symbolic coffins to express
solidarity with the people of Palestine. The children participating in the
protest kept chanting slogans against killing of innocent Palestinians by
Israeli forces.
The children demanded of Muslim Ummah to
support Palestinians and take effective action against Israel. They also
criticised the American government for supporting Israeli brutalities. They
said that Israel was killing innocent Palestinian including minors, teenagers and
women.
“The government should allow us to fight
against Israel. The entire Muslim Ummah has kept silence over the brutalities
of Israeli forces. If a Muslim is the brother of another Muslim, then why can’t
we do their help,” the protesters questioned.
They appealed to the international
community to play role in restoration of peace in Palestine. The participants
of the rallies were holding banners and placards inscribed with different
slogans in support of Palestinians. They also expressed grave concerns over
increase in casualties and arrests of innocent citizens.
The protesters urged United Nations to
stop the genocide of innocent Palestinians and ensure provision of medical
treatment and food items to them. They vowed to stand with their Palestinian brethren
till last drop of blood. Addressing the protest rallies, the speakers expressed
their disappointment about the silence of Islamic countries over the Israeli
aggression.
The members of minority wing of JI said
that despite their separate beliefs, they would support Palestinians in that
hour of need. They urged the caretaker federal government to play its role to
help Palestinians.
Source: dawn.com
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--------
Resolution of Kashmir, Palestine issues
vital for peace in world: Sanjrani
October 24, 2023
Chairman Senate Sadiq Sanjrani has said
the resolution of Kashmir and Palestine issues is important for peace in the
world.
Speaking at an international symposium
on strengthening diplomatic ties among neighboring countries in Beijing, he
said we have to adopt a common plan of action to stop the genocide and human
rights violations in Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir and Palestine.
He said it is not possible to establish
world peace without ending the cruelty and brutality in Palestine and Indian
illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir.
Sadiq Sanjrani said Pakistan and China
promote the values of mutual respect, non-aggression and peaceful coexistence.
He said Chinese President Xi Jinping's
leadership and vision have not only lifted China to new heights but also paved
the way for global partners.
Source: radio.gov.pk
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After China, Pakistan set to appoint
envoy to Kabul
October 24, 2023
Muhammad Saleh Zaafir
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is set to appoint
its ambassador to Afghanistan soon and with this it would be second country
after China that will have its ambassador in Kabul without according formal recognition
to the Taliban administration that captured the power in August 2021 after the
US-led Nato forces vacated the country.
Since then, no country has officially
given recognition to Taliban administration on account of various reasons.
Foreign Minister Syed Jalil Abbas Jilani told ‘The News’ on Monday that the
incumbent head of mission in Kabul, Ubaid-ur-Rehman Nizamani, who had earlier
served in Washington, New Delhi, Dhaka, Berlin and Jeddah in various diplomatic
capacities, would be elevated soon following his promotion and would be the
first ambassador for Taliban dispensation in Kabul from Pakistan.
He was of the view that Nizamani has
substantial knowledge of the region. The foreign minister said that Pakistan
and China have discussed about the expansion of China-Pakistan Economic
Corridor (CPEC) in first instance to Afghanistan, adding that the presence of
Chinese ambassador in Kabul is a step in this direction.
Meanwhile, Pakistan’s former ambassador
to Russia, Shafqat Ali Khan, has been appointed as additional foreign secretary
for Europe. Shafqat Ali Khan, who served in Kremlin for four years, has vast
experience of different important diplomatic postings as he was the first
ambassador of the country who hails from Gilgit-Baltistan.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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Imran’s indictment ‘death knell to legal
system’: PTI
October 24, 2023
Imran Adnan
LAHORE:Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)
has vehemently rejected the indictment of PTI Chairman Imran Khan and Vice
Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, denouncing it as "a fatal blow to justice
and the legal system".
In a strongly worded reaction on Monday,
a party spokesperson expressed deep dismay, condemning what he described as the
ruthless dismantling of justice in Pakistan, an alarming trend that has been
persisting.
The spokesperson underscored grave
concerns over the upholding of constitutional supremacy, the rule of law, and
the safeguarding of the rights of citizens, particularly those affiliated with
PTI.
Lamenting what he called the
“judiciary's failure to deliver fair justice to the nation”, the spokesperson
warned that the pervasive lawlessness was rampant and eroding the very
foundations of the state.
The spokesperson emphasised the
paralysis of the entire system and highlighted that the state has lost its
vision over the past eighteen months, followed by a decline in its intellectual
capacities, leaving the justice system in shambles and the entire existence of
the state in a state of paralysis.
Moreover, he accused a group of
compromised journalists, including figures such as Kamran Shahid, Adil Shahzeb,
and Muneeb Farooq, of aiding the dysfunctional state machinery in masking its
wrongful decisions and undemocratic actions under the guise of journalism.
According to the spokesperson, the
perpetrators who have undermined the integrity of the state are slipping
through the cracks, leading the country and its democratic values down the path
of total ruin.
Referring to the cipher case, he
dismissed it as one among over 200 spurious and concocted cases against PTI
Chairman Imran Khan, asserting that the state lacks the capacity to conduct
judicial proceedings based on the rule of law in the face of such baseless
accusations.
Meanwhile, PTI Secretary General Omar
Ayub Khan addressed a letter to the President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi,
calling attention to gross violations of fundamental public rights.
In the letter, he highlighted concerns
over enforced disappearances for political purposes, the uneven playing field
during elections, crackdowns on media and social media activists, and the
mistreatment of women detainees without proper legal procedures.
PTI secretary general stressed that the
issue of enforced disappearances has plagued Pakistan for decades, tarnishing
its reputation internationally, and expressed regret that it is increasingly
being used as a political tool to silence dissenting voices.
Moreover, he pointed out the perception
of selective and opaque administration of justice, which undermines the
principles of fair trial and due process enshrined in the constitution.
He also raised concerns about the
unequal treatment of political parties and leaders, leading to an unfair
electoral environment, and urged the president to intervene and urge state
institutions to address these grave issues promptly in order to uphold
democracy, the constitution, and human rights in the country.
Source: tribune.com.pk
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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2442733/imrans-indictment-death-knell-to-legal-system-pti
----------
IHC orders facilities for Imran
October 24, 2023
ISLAMABAD: A two-member bench of
Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the Adiala jail superintendent on Monday to
bring into use his discretionary powers on a request of Pakistan
Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan about provision of facilities in jail
and his meeting with his lawyers and family members, and submit a report to the
court.
Justice Mian Gul Hasan Aurangzeb and
Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir heard an intra-court appeal of former premier
regarding provision of facilities to him in jail.
The petitioner’s counsel stated in the
court that Imran Khan was not being provided facilities under the law, and
argued that it was against human dignity to put former premier and former
foreign minister in a cage during the jail trial.
Justice Gul Hasan wondered why the PTI chairman
was being mistreated? “This does not seem like a fair trial,” he remarked.
Superintendent Adiala Jail presented an explanation on the show-cause notice,
issued for not appearing at the previous hearing, which the court accepted, and
discharged the notice.
Lawyer for former premier Sher Afzal
Marwat Advocate said that 189 FIRs had been registered against his client.
Trial is going on in the special court and seven other cases were under way
under the Official Secrets Act.
The court said if the accused was
authorised any facility under the law or rules, he should get it. “We want the
jail superintendent to exercise his discretionary powers according to the
circumstances. The court will issue a decision after receiving reply from the
superintendent,” the bench said.
Further hearing would be held on October
26. Meanwhile, Special Court Judge AbualHasnatZulqarnain, while hearing the
cipher case, ordered the Adiala Jail authorities to provide Imran Khan with
spin bike for exercise in jail. The court also allowed Imran Khan a meeting
with his three sisters -- Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Norin Niazi -- in jail.
Former prime minister had moved the court through his lawyer Shiraz Ahmed
Ranjha Advocate for provision of cycle for exercise.
In a separate development on October 17,
it emerged that the cell of the PTI chairman had been expanded from 35 feet to
60 feet area in Adiala Jail. He had requested the judge about the expansion of
his jail cell during the last hearing.
Source: thenews.com.pk
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Conspiracies afoot to divide Ummah:
Ashrafi
October 24, 2023
ISLAMABAD:Special Representative to the
Prime Minister on Religious Harmony and Pakistani Diaspora in the Middle East
and Islamic Countries Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi on Monday asserted that there are
conspiracies afoot to divide the Ummah concerning the issue of Palestine.
Speaking to the media accompanied by
Ulemas and Mashaikhs, he expressed that Pakistan Army took pride in the nation.
He commended Chief of Army Staff General
Asim Munir for his resolute support for the Palestinian people, which he
regarded as a heartfelt expression of solidarity with Palestine.
Ashrafi, who also serves as the chairman
of the Pakistan Ulema Council, highlighted the world's growing awareness of the
dual standards maintained by the European countries, the United States, and the
United Kingdom in matters related to children.
He criticised the deafening silence in
response to the tragic killing of children in Gaza.
Ashrafi urged the US, the UK, and
European nations not to jeopardise global peace for the sake of their
affiliation with Israel, warning that if the flames in Gaza were not
extinguished, they could spread worldwide.
Source: tribune.com.pk
Please click the following URL to read
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https://tribune.com.pk/story/2442730/conspiracies-afoot-to-divide-ummah-ashrafi
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Southeast Asia
'See You Tonight, Let's Condemn Israeli
Atrocities,' Demand A Ceasefire, Says PMAnwar Ibrahim
24 Oct 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri
Anwar Ibrahim called on all Malaysians to express a strong stance as a united
and cohesive force in condemning the Zionist regime’s atrocities against
Palestine.
He said this can be done at the
"Malaysia Stands with Palestine Rally” at the Axiata Arena in Bukit Jalil
here on Tuesday (Oct 24) night.
"We will demand a ceasefire, an end
to the attacks, facilitation of humanitarian aid, an end to the brutality,
injustice and sufferings that have been going on for so long. See you
tonight!" he posted on Facebook.
Approximately 10,000 people were
expected to attend the rally organised jointly by over 40 non-governmental
organisations, including Malaysian Humanitarian Aid And Relief (Mahar) and the
Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisation (Mapim).
The rally, scheduled to take place from
6 pm to 11 pm, will also include mass Maghrib prayers, solathajat (prayers of
need) and recitation of QunutNazilah.
Rally participants were encouraged to
wear white and wave the national flags of Palestine and Malaysia to show
Malaysia’s solidarity with Palestine.
Anwar had taken Malaysia's voice to the
world stage and called on the international community to put an end to the
cruel treatment and hypocrisy towards the Palestinian people during his working
visit to Saudi Arabia to attend the first Asean-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
Summit last week.
He reiterated the same matter during
meetings with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul on Sunday and
Egypt President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo, on Monday (Oct 23). – Bernama
Source: thestar.com.my
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https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/24/039see-you-tonight-let039s-condemn-israeli-atrocities039-demand-a-ceasefire-says-pm
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Malaysian Former MinisterZuraida Slams
Speaker For Banning Use Of ‘Kafir’, ‘Yahudi’, ‘Zionists’
24 Oct 2023
PETALING JAYA – Former minister Datuk
ZuraidaKamaruddin today said the move by the Dewan Rakyat speaker to ban the
use of the words “Kafir”, “Yahudi” (Jews) and “Zionists” was inappropriate as
it restricted the freedom of MPs to speak.
“It is very ‘shallow’ (dangkal) for the
Dewan Rakyat to limit the use of a word that, if uttered outside the House, is
not an offence.
“For example, the word ‘kafir’ which has
become a polemic in Parliament recently is due to the lack of understanding of
some Members of Parliament regarding the word,” she said in a statement today.
Yesterday, Tan Sri Johari Abdul told MPs
to refrain from using “sensitive” words such as “kafir” (infidel), “Zionist”,
and “Yahudi” (Jews) in the august House.
He said various arguments put forth by
MPs in last week’s 2024 supply bill debate were “sensitive, hurtful, and
divisive”.
Zuraida, who is also MuafakatNasional
deputy president, said the word “Kafir” comes from the Arabic language and
refers to people who “do not believe” or, more precisely, those who are not
Muslims and do not believe in what a Muslim believes.
She said the Al-Quran and Hadith also
use the word “Kafir” to describe the same thing.
“So how come the speaker, who is also a
Muslim, refuses to allow the use of this word in the House to refer to members
of the House who are not Muslims?
“The speaker should take this
opportunity to explain the meaning and translation of the word for all members
of the House to understand because this word is not a curse or insult, but only
a title for those who do not follow Islam,” said Zuraida.
As for the words “Jew” and “Zionist”,
she said, it is the same as throwing the words “racist”, “extremist”, “Taliban”
and “communist” that have been used by both sides, the opposition and the
government, before.
“It is just a way of communication
between each other and not threats or swearing, to the extent that it has to be
prohibited.
“As a former Member of Parliament for
three terms, the current quality of Parliament’s management and its members has
dropped compared to previous parliamentary sessions.
“The mental resilience of MPs,
especially from among the government members, is so fragile that the speaker
has to intervene and safeguard their feelings,” she said.
She said she expected more restrictions
on parliamentarians in the future, to the extent that MPs will fail to carry
out their responsibilities in fighting for the people.
Zuraida also said Johari is seen to be
too lenient with the government and too strict when dealing with the
opposition.
“If the speaker cannot be fair, I
suggest Johari Abdul just give up his position and let other individuals who
are more qualified to hold the position.
“Even if it is ‘rude’ or ‘barbaric’ for
some, the voice of parliamentarians should not be blocked, because the act of
blocking certain words or statements in this Parliament will slow down the
development of democracy in our country,” she added. – The Vibes, October 24,
2023
Source: thevibes.com
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https://www.thevibes.com/articles/news/99578/zuraida-slams-dewan-speaker-for-banning-use-of-kafir-yahudi-zionists
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Sentiments in Sunday's pro-Gaza rally
don't reflect govt and Muslims' stand on Palestine, says home minister
By Soo Wern Jun
24 Oct 2023 1
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — Putrajaya has
today distanced itself from some of the public sentiments during the “Freedom
for Palestine” rally on Sunday, saying they do not reflect the stance of the
government and Muslim community towards Palestine.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin
Nasution Ismail said any restrictions by organisers Viva Palestina Malaysia
(VPM) and Humanitarian Care Malaysia (MyCare) were in response to what was
happening during the rally, rather than being imposed by the government.
“In this Parliament, I stress that, I
stand by the government’s position and deliver it with full responsibility. Our
recognition of Palestine, our sympathy for them, no one can dispute. I believe
Machang and their friends over there hold the same position,” he told the
Parliament, referring to the Opposition.
Saifuddin said any question about
Putrajaya not publicly condemning Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
should not arise, as its recognition of the Palestinian struggle shows that
Malaysia does not support Israel and Netanyahu.
Saifuddin was responding in the
Minister’s Question Time, to Bersatu’sMachang MP Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad
Kamal who asked if there were any guidelines that prevent certain things from
peaceful assemblies.
Yesterday, VPM reportedly apologised
after the solidarity rally for Palestine it organised on Sunday came under
heavy criticism.
The VPM and its chairman Datuk Musa
MohdNordin were accused of being condescending and stand-offish towards
attendees including Palestinians at the gathering, in addition to disallowing
attendees from chanting the “takbir”.
Saifuddin said the chant should not be
the main focus, when compared to the lives of the Palestinians.
“What is the main issue? [The]
solidarity with the Palestinians... the lives of two million people who are at
risk, removing people from Gaza, this is what the prime minister has done,
being the coordinator for the Asean side. Whether or not we can chant the
‘takbir’ [during a peaceful gathering] that is not the main issue. ‘Takbir’
means chanting the greatness of Allah, there is no dispute between us.
“In regards to this, it is according to
the discretion of the organiser and their understanding. Machang, you can
organise a gathering of 10,000 or 20,000, if I have time I will come along, and
I will chant takbir as loud as possible,” Saifuddin added.
On Sunday, thousands of Malaysians
thronged the Dataran Merdeka in solidarity with Palestine following Israel’s
latest backlash and imminent intrusion into northern Gaza, including PKR’s
Nurul Izzah Anwar and Fahmi Fadzil.
Tonight, a solidarity mega gathering
will be held at Axiata Arena, Bukit Jalil, with Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar
Ibrahim expected to attend.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/24/sentiments-in-sundays-pro-gaza-rally-dont-reflect-govt-and-muslims-stand-on-palestine-says-home-minister/98081
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Amid Aman Palestin fund abuse claims,
MACC chief says only on paper trail, yet to call in anyone for questioning
By ShathanaKasinathan
24 Oct 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — The Malaysian
Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) is only seeking to get documents from Aman
PalestinBerhad for now after the non-profit company was alleged to have misused
the donations meant for Palestinians under siege in Gaza.
MACC chief Tan Sri Azam Baki said no one
has been called in for questioning at this stage, several news outlets reported
today.
“The investigation so far has focused on
many documents that need to be examined through forensics to ascertain how the
money was spent.
“From the investigation, we need to see
from the start of the fund collection and how it is spent,” he was quoted by
Utusan Malaysia as telling reporters after officiating the International
Anti-Bribery Anti-Corruption Summit 2023 at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel here.
Source: malaymail.com
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/24/amid-aman-palestin-fund-abuse-claims-macc-chief-says-only-on-paper-trail-yet-to-call-in-anyone-for-questioning/98100
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Perak police arrest two men for
attempted murder of cop, armed robbery
24 Oct 2023
IPOH, Oct 24 — Police arrested two local
men for the attempted murder of a cop on duty in an incident in Kampung Gajah,
yesterday.
Hilir Perak district police chief ACP
Ahmad Adnan Basri said the police received a report on an armed robbery at
11.30am yesterday and the case was investigated by the Ipoh district police
headquarters (IPD).
He said acting on information, a police
team from the Ipoh IPD CID successfully tracked down the suspects from Ipoh to
Kampung Gajah.
“When the suspects, aged 28 and 31
realised that police had caught up with their PeroduaMyvi in Kampung Gajah,
they tried to escape by making a sudden U-turn and reversed the vehicle into a
police vehicle,” he said in a statement today.
Ahmad Adnan said one of the policemen
tried to open the back door of the vehicle to arrest the suspect sitting in the
back. However, the driver reversed recklessly and dragged the cop, causing the
policeman to fire a shot at the windshield of the vehicle to defend himself.
“But the suspect continued driving the
car in reverse gear until he crashed into another vehicle. At that moment, the
suspect in the back seat tried to flee but was arrested by police.
“At the same time, the driver drove off
but he was eventually arrested in KampungRapat, Ipoh,” he said.
Ahmad Adnan said the policeman involved
was unhurt while the suspect driver who suffered a gunshot wound on his right
shoulder was treated at Raja PermaisuriBainun Hospital in Ipoh.
He said a check revealed that the driver
had 24 previous criminal records while the other suspect had 11 previous
records, and police also found packets of suspected heroin and weapons believed
to have been used in the robbery.
He said the case was investigated under
Section 307 of the Penal Code and Section 39 of the Arms Act 1960. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.malaymail.com/news/malaysia/2023/10/24/perak-police-arrest-two-men-for-attempted-murder-of-cop-armed-robbery/98082
---------
About 20,000 people expected to attend
‘Malaysia with Palestine Rally’ at Bukit Jalil tonight, say organisers
24 Oct 2023
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 24 — About 20,000
people are expected to join the Malaysia with Palestine Rally at Axiata Arena
Stadium, Bukit Jalil here, tonight.
Muslim Youth Movement of Malaysia (Abim)
president Muhamad Faizal Abdul Aziz said the gathering is scheduled to begin
with Maghrib prayers, followed by a hajat prayer led by Palestinian Qari and
Imam, Shaykh Rami As-Sousi.
“The gathering will focus on the
commitment speeches of leaders of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and
political parties representing Malaysians consistent with the Palestinian
people’s struggle, while the highlight will undoubtedly be the speech by Prime
Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim himself,” he said when contacted by Bernama.
With Abim and Global Peace Malaysia
(GPM) as the main organisers, the gathering scheduled from 7.30 to 10.30 pm
will also involve more than 40 NGOs such as Malaysian Humanitarian Aid And
Relief (Mahar) and the Malaysian Consultative Council of Islamic Organisations
(Mapim).
“We hope that the struggle to defend the
Palestinian people will continue because for Abim, this organised gathering is
not the end, but as a fresh breath for Malaysians and the international
community to continue fighting for the rights of the Palestinian people.
“It is our hope that this struggle will
also be welcomed by the next generation so that the Zionist Israeli occupation
of Palestine ends,” he said, who also informed that Abim had sent three
memorandums to the relevant parties this week to express the anger of the
Malaysian people over the tyranny of Israel as well as calls from the rest of
the world. which denounced Israel.
Meanwhile, Mahar president Jismi Johari
said tonight’s programme was held not only to show Malaysians’ support for the
Palestinians, but also to educate the public about the history and development
of the conflict that plagued the Middle Eastern country.
“The purpose of the gathering is to
gather and show solidarity. But we want to educate the public about what is
actually happening in Palestine and why we need to know.
“The public can come to listen to the
speeches on what is actually going on in Palestine. This is a good opportunity
to get as much as information as possible on this issue, and only then you can
tell others about why we are standing behind Palestine... This issue is not
only about religious struggle, but it also involves issues related to human
rights,” he said.
He said the participants of tonight’s
rally were encouraged to wear white clothes and wave the Palestinian flag and
JalurGemilang as a sign of Malaysia’s solidarity with Palestine.
“I also advise people who want to
participate in this gathering to come early because the stadium doors will open
at 6.30pm and we are preparing various programmes and interesting events for
participants.
“We will have food trucks for
participants to get food... During the programme, there will also be a special
performance by some of the country’s leading artists including Datuk Seri
SitiNurhaliza and Faizal Tahir,” he said. — Bernama
Source: malaymail.com
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Solidarity, not rules, the main aim of
pro-Palestine rallies, says Saifuddin
24 Oct 2023
KUALA LUMPUR: Showing solidarity with
the Palestinians was the main objective of Sunday's (Oct 22) rally at Dataran
Merdeka, not the dos and don'ts at such events, says Datuk Seri Saifuddin
Nasution Ismail.
The Home Minister said the lives of two
million Palestinians were at stake, with the Israeli army massing at
Palestine's borders.
"The (priority) is to evacuate
Palestinians from Gaza, which is currently surrounded.
"That is what the Prime Minister is
doing, by meeting (other world) leaders, and being the coordinator for the
South-East Asian region.
"We encourage solidarity rallies
and are having one tonight.
"The question of whether the takbir
is allowed (at a rally), or any other dos and don’ts, is not the main
issue," he told the Dewan Rakyat on Tuesday (Oct 24).
He said it was also the prerogative of
each rally organiser to set the conditions based on their understanding of the
situation.
He was responding to a supplementary
question by Wan Ahmad Fayhsal Wan Ahmad Kamal (PN-Machang), who asked if there
were new directives on what could or could not be said during peaceful demonstrations.
This came in light of social media users
alleging that placards condemning Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Nethanyahu
were prevented from being displayed at the recent Viva Palestina Malaysia,
while the takbir was discouraged by organisers.
To this, Saifuddin said it did not
reflect the government’s stance on the issues in Palestine.
"Nobody can question the
government’s stance on Palestine and I believe Machang and our friends from the
other side feel the same way too.
"Our stance is clear. But if the
rally organisers put (rules) in place, it should be viewed (in the context of)
the moment itself... (It) does not reflect the (stance of the) government as
well as the majority of Muslims who want peace," he said.
Saifuddin said guidelines on public rallies
were enshrined in the Peaceful Assembly Act 2012 and Federal Constitution.
"There are three important aspects
in the Act namely the responsibility of organisers; responsibility of
participants; and responsibility of the police.
"Under the Constitution, there is
the right to gather and voice out (opinions).
"Freedom of speech has its limits,
however. (It should not question) any matter, right, status, position,
privilege, sovereignty, prerogative, security of the Federation, among
others," he added.
He said there were already enough laws
to facilitate public rallies.
Saifuddin Nasution said he also believed
the current police leadership would use discretion to evaluate allowing
peaceful assemblies even if they did not abide by the requirement of five days'
notice, on a case-by-case basis.
"Applications to organise
solidarity rallies are (coming in) frequently. I believe the police will take
the spirit of facilitating rather than stopping," he said in reply to a
supplementary question by Jimmy PuahTse Wee (PH-Tebrau).
Puah wanted to know if the notice period
was suitable and if it could be reduced to just 48 hours.
He also asked if the Inspector-General
of Police had the discretion to waive the notice period if there was a pressing
need.
Source: thestar.com.my/
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https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/10/24/solidarity-not-rules-the-main-aim-of-pro-palestine-rallies-says-saifuddin
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Indonesian businesses eye more collaboration
with Saudi Arabia under new task force
October 23, 2023
SHEANY YASUKO LAI
JAKARTA: Indonesian businesses are
optimistic that a newly established Saudi-Indonesia task force will open up
collaborations between Jakarta and Riyadh, Indonesia’s Chamber of Commerce and
Industry said on Monday following a meeting in Riyadh.
Saudi-Indonesian trade has been
increasing on average by around 5 percent annually between 2018 and 2022,
according to data from the Ministry of Trade. Bilateral trade was valued at $7.51
billion last year, a 35 percent rise in 2021.
On Oct. 19, the Indonesian Chamber of
Commerce and Industry (KADIN) co-hosted the Saudi-Indonesian Roundtable Meeting
with the Federation of Saudi Chambers on the sidelines of President Joko
Widodo’s state visit to the Kingdom, which was attended by the Saudi Minister
of Investment Khalid Al-Falih and the Indonesian Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan.
Mohamad Bawazeer, who heads KADIN’s
Middle East committee, told Arab News that KADIN and FSC officials had signed
an initial cooperation agreement during the event which covered the
establishment of a joint task force.
He said: “The MoU (memorandum of
understanding) includes an important aspect, which is to form a joint task
force that will take on the next steps. Saudi Arabia will appoint several
people from its government and chamber of commerce, and so will we.”
Bawazeer added: “The meeting turned out
positive. If this task force goes well, we have faith that it will … I’m very
much supportive of this, and now it’s just about how to accelerate and how to
execute our cooperation.”
The initiative was welcomed by Al-Falih
and Hasan, Bawazeer said, adding that there was a match between Indonesia’s
wealth across different sectors and Saudi Arabia’s “extraordinary openness.”
He noted that the first meeting of the
joint task force would take place “very soon.”
“We have to admit that Saudi Arabia is
an economic and political powerhouse in the Middle East region, and the
opportunities in Saudi Arabia are huge,” he said. “This is something that we
still have to explore.”
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396316/world
-------
Australia
Muslim AustralianSchool Students
Subjected To Islamophobic Abuse Amid Israel-Hamas War
October 24 2023
Jacob Shteyman
Muslim Australians say they are being
subjected to Islamophobic abuse as a result of the war between Israel and
Hamas.
The SA Islamic Society says members of
the community are fearing for their safety, with calls for the media and
politicians to stop presenting a "one-sided" view of the conflict
that is inflaming the situation.
A gas cylinder was set on fire outside
the Al-Khalil Mosque on Monday and a fire lit outside the Marion Mosque four
days earlier, a spokeswoman for the society said.
A South Australian Police spokesperson
confirmed they received reports about the two arson attacks but said they do
not believe the fires were linked or racially motivated.
Nobody was injured as a result of the
incidents but Islamophobic comments directed at the mosques and a school with a
large proportion of Muslim students have increased significantly, the Islamic
Society spokeswoman said.
"'Go back to where you came from';
'we don't want you here' - those kinds of very negative comments and abuse
(they have been receiving)," she told AAP.
She said the comments were surprising
given the majority of victims in the conflict have been Palestinians but
attributed the upswell in vitriol to the presentation of the conflict by the
media and the government.
ASIO director-general Mike Burgess
earlier in October condemned divisive rhetoric for inflaming tensions, warning
there were "direct connections" between language and community
hostility.
South Australian senator and opposition
foreign affairs spokesman Simon Birmingham denounced the abuse against Islamic
Australians.
"Islamophobia is to be condemned,
just as is antisemitism and all hateful acts motivated by faith, race or other
attributes," he posted on X, formerly Twitter.
"Australians of any faith or none
should feel safe and welcome."
The Australian Islamophobia Register has
received a tenfold increase in reports of Islamophobic incidents via their
online form.
Despite the abuse felt by the Islamic
community in Australia, their concerns are primarily with those in the conflict
zone who face the threat of death daily.
"What we are experiencing is
nothing compared to what the Palestinians are experiencing and our prayers are
with them," the SA Islamic Society spokeswoman said.
Source: canberratimes.com.au
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https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8399051/muslim-school-students-abused-amid-israel-hamas-war/?cs=14231
-------
Mideast
Iran FM: US fanning flames of war on
Gaza by offering full support to Israel
24 October 2023
Iran's foreign minister says despite
duplicitous messages sent by the leaders of the United States, Washington is
fanning the flames of Israel’s ongoing genocidal war on the Gaza Strip by
sending arms consignments to the occupying regime.
Hossein Amir-Abdollahian made the remark
in a late Monday press conference following the conclusion of the second 3+3
regional platform meeting, dubbed "Time for Peace, Cooperation, and
Progress in the South Caucasus."
The platform was established to resolve
the existing problems in Caucasus through inclusion of regional countries and
exclusion of extra-regional and Western states. It’s first meeting was held in
Moscow in December 2021 at the level of deputy foreign ministers and without
the presence of Georgia.
"One of the important issues raised
during today's meeting was the issue of Palestine" and the ongoing Israeli
war on Gaza, Amir-Abdollahian said, noting that his Turkish and Russian
counterparts had taken "strong positions in favor of cessation of the
war."
The Iranian top diplomat was referring
to the devastating war that Israel has been waging against the besieged Gaza
Strip since October 7, after the Gaza-based Palestinian resistance groups
staged Operation al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise attack into the occupied
territories, in response to the Israeli regime’s intensified crimes against the
Palestinian people.
According to the Palestinian Health
Ministry, the Israeli onslaught has so far killed over 5,000 Palestinians,
including 2,055 children and 1,119 women, while more than 15,000 people have
been injured.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says at
least 5,080 people have been killed since October 7.
"Unfortunately, the United States
has been offering its one-sided and full support to the Zionist regime,"
Amir-Abdollahian said, adding, "Today, the American security apparatus is
managing" Israel's war on Gaza.
"The administrative and political
system in the occupied territories has completely fallen apart, but under
direct supervision of American military personnel, the regime's war machine is
trying to save the collapsed [Israeli] regime from crisis," he added.
The Iranian president slams US president
The Iranian foreign minister also
pointed to American officials' frequent visits to the occupied territories and
their underway efforts to have the United Nations Security Council pass a
resolution to portray Israel's genocidal crimes as an instance of
"self-defense."
Amir-Abdollahian said he has brought up
this issue with his Russian and Chinese counterparts during the Tehran meeting,
noting, "All of our efforts are aimed at preventing a resolution from
being issued against [the resistance movements in] Palestine."
Iran's foreign minister then touched on
the United States' direct involvement in the Israeli war on Gaza and the Tel
Aviv regime's efforts to prevent humanitarian aid from reaching the coastal
territory.
"The al-Quds occupying regime is
trying to eliminate the resistance from [political equations in] Gaza and they
also seek forced displacement of the residents of Gaza," Amir-Abdollahian
said.
He confirmed that American officials
have been sending messages to all parties involved in Palestine's developments,
including Iran, adding, "Their messages contain two main points. Firstly,
[they allege that] they are not interested in further spread of the war, and
secondly, they call on Iran to show self-restraint."
"Despite their claims [about being
opposed to further spread of war], the Americans have been fanning the flames
of war on Gaza during the past two weeks by sending thousands of arms
consignments [to Israel] and supporting the regime," Iran's foreign
minister said.
"Therefore, we warn all the
countries that have been involved in the recent escalation [in Gaza], including
the United States and the Zionist regime, to stop the massacre [of Palestinian
people] before it is too late," Amir-Abdollahian concluded.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/23/713304/Iran-Palestine-United-States-Israel-war-Gaza
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President Raeisi: US, West directly
supporting Israel’s horrendous crimes in Gaza
23 October 2023
Iran's President Ebrahim Raeisi has strongly
condemned the United States and other Western countries over their unbridled
support for the Israeli regime's atrocities in the besieged Gaza Strip.
Raeisi made the remark in a Monday
meeting with visiting Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who was in Tehran
to take part in the second meeting of the 3+3 regional platform, which includes
the three South Caucasus countries of Armenia, Georgia, and Azerbaijan plus
Russia, Turkey, and Iran.
"What is happening in Gaza is a
horrendous crime against defenseless and innocent women and children, which is
being committed with the direct and official support of the United States and
other Western countries," the Iranian president said.
Israel has launched a devastating war on
the Palestinian territory since October 7, after the Gaza-based Palestinian
resistance groups staged Operation al-Aqsa Storm, a surprise attack into the
occupied territories, in response to the Israeli regime’s intensified crimes
against the Palestinian people.
According to the Palestinian Health
Ministry, the Israeli onslaught has so far killed over 5,000 Palestinians,
including 2,055 children and 1,119 women, while more than 15,000 people have
been injured.
The Palestinian Health Ministry says at
least 5,080 people have been killed since October 7.
During the meeting, Raeisi also pointed
to recent remarks made by US President Joe Biden during his visit to the
occupied territories earlier this month, when he noted, "I have long said:
If Israel didn’t exist, we would have to invent it."
"These remarks [by the US
president] mean that the Americans are prepared to trample upon the blood of
women and children, and the rubble of the Palestinian people's homes in order
to meet their [own] interests," the Iranian president said.
The Iranian president slams US president
He then pointed to underway efforts by
Washington to have the United Nations Security Council pass a resolution that
would try to portrait Israel's actions as an instance of
"self-defense."
“Today, the United States is trying to
pursue through a UN Security Council resolution what it has not been able to
achieve in the field with regards to supporting the Zionist regime and meeting
its own racist interests," Raeisi said.
Iran's president added, “Therefore, all
nations and free-thinking people of the world hope that in view of its position
and effective presence in the Security Council and on the international level,
Russia would be able to prevent the Americans from achieving their goal."
For his part, the Russian foreign minister
laid emphasis on Moscow's commitment to implementation of all of the country's
agreements with Iran in economic, commercial, transport, energy, and cultural
fields.
Lavrov said his participation in the
meeting of the 3+3 regional platform was a manifestation of growing regional
cooperation between Iran and Russia.
Iran’s foreign minister backs the 3+3
framework as an effective mechanism for resolving disputes in the Caucasus
region without foreign interference.
According to the Russian top diplomat, further
expansion of cooperation among regional countries would help them meet their
interests, and at the same time, pursue their development goals.
"During today's meeting, it was
emphasized [by all participants] that regional problems must be settled without
any interference from foreign parties," Lavrov emphasized.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/23/713302/Iran-United-States-West-Israel-war-Gaza-meeting-Lavrov
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Palestinian resistance launches fresh
retaliatory attacks on targets in occupied territories
23 October 2023
The military wings of Hamas and Islamic
Jihad resistance movements in Palestine have launched fresh attacks on targets
in the Israeli-occupied territories in response to the regime’s continued
bombardment of civilians in the Gaza Strip.
The Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the
armed wing of Hamas which is based in Gaza, said on Monday that it had used for
the first time its al-Zouari drones to attack Israel’s Hatzerim and Taslim
military bases in Negev desert.
The resistance force also released
footage showing the launch of al-Zouari drones from an unknown location in Gaza
toward Israeli targets.
That comes as the Israeli military
claimed it had shot down two drones launched from Gaza towards the occupied
territories.
Hamas said it had also fired rockets to
attack targets in Sderot, located in south of the Israeli-occupied territories.
The attacks were a response to more than
two weeks of incessant Israeli bombardment and shelling of Gaza, which has left
more than 5,000 people dead and over 15,000 others injured.
Meanwhile, the al-Quds Brigades, the
armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, another major anti-Israeli resistance movement
in Gaza, said that it had used heavy artillery fire to target Israeli positions
in Sufa and Holit in the south and southwest of the occupied Palestine.
The military wings of Hamas and Islamic
Jihad have fired thousands of rockets and missiles into the occupied
territories since earlier this month and after the Israeli regime launched its
full-scale attacks on Gaza.
The confrontation erupted on October 7
after an unprecedented military operation by Hamas, which left 1,400 settlers
and military forces dead and some 5,000 injured.
Source: presstv.ir
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https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/10/23/713294/Hamas-Islamic-Jihad-attacks-Israel-Gaza-massacre
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Nasrallah, Bassil confer on latest
developments in Lebanon
Oct 24, 2023
TEHRAN, Oct. 24 (MNA) – Hezbollah
Secretary General Seyyed Hasan Nasrallah and the leader of Free Patriotic
Movement GebranBassil have discussed the latest developments in Lebanon and the
preservation of national unity.
Nasrallah and Bassil held a telephone
conversation on Monday.
They discussed the latest developments
in Lebanon and the broader region, with a particular focus on matters
pertaining to national defense and the preservation of national unity, Al-Manar
English Website reported.
Nasrallah and Bassil agreed to hold
permanent consultations in order to serve the interests of Lebanon and all the
Lebanese.
Lebanon's Hezbollah and the Israeli
occupation have been exchanging sporadic fire since October 8, a day after the
illegal Zionist entity started bringing the besieged Palestinian territory of
the Gaza Strip under a relentless and indiscriminate war.
The brutal onslaught by the Israeli
regime has so far left thousands of people killed and injured.
Hezbollah has already fought off two
Israeli wars against Lebanon in 2000 and 2006, forcing a humiliating retreat
upon the Tel Aviv regime’s military in both cases. The Resistance movement has
vowed to resolutely defend Lebanon in case of any Israeli-imposed aggression.
Source: mehrnews.com
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https://en.mehrnews.com/news/207493/Nasrallah-Bassil-confer-on-latest-developments-in-Lebanon
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Israel Ramps Up Assault on West Bank
With Airstrike on Mosque, Deadly Raids
Oct 23, 2023
JULIA CONLEY
An airstrike at Jenin refugee camp in
the occupied West Bank on Sunday represented what health officials called a
"dangerous escalation" of the Israeli military's attacks on the
Palestinian territory, where civilians have been under assault since Israel
began a sustained air campaign to retaliate for a surprise Hamas attack on
October 7.
At least two people were killed when an
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) warplane struck a mosque in densely populated Jenin
at about 3:00 am local time Sunday. At least three others were injured and the
mosque sustained major damage.
Israeli authorities claimed it had
targeted an underground "terror compound" where Hamas was operating,
butThe New York Times and Middle East Eye both reported that the claim could
not be independently verified.
"Israeli forces are increasingly
and brazenly killing Palestinian children throughout the West Bank."
International attention has largely been
turned to Gaza since Israel's bombardment began, with the IDF killing at least
5,087 people in the blockaded enclave since Israeli Defense Minister Yoav
Gallant declared a "complete siege" there.
In the West Bank, at least 91
people—including 29 children—have been killed in attacks by Israeli soldiers
and settlers since October 7, while the IDF has further restricted the movement
of people in the region, where residents regularly face dozens of checkpoints
and roadblocks when trying to travel through the territory.
Israeli authorities have closed
checkpoints and imposed stringent restrictions on travel across the West Bank's
border with Jordan.
IDF soldiers and Israeli settlers have
also raided towns and refugee camps including Nour Shams, where soldiers killed
13 Palestinians, including five children, last Thursday in a 24-hour siege.
On Monday, residents of Jalazone refugee
camp toldReuters that Israeli soldiers had killed at least two people and made
"widespread arrests" in an overnight raid.
"Here at Jalazone refugee camp, the
Israeli army carries out raids three to four times a week," Mahmoud Abdel
Aziz, head of the services committee for the camp, told Al Jazeera.
At least 35 people in the camp, which is
north of the central city of Ramallah, have been detained since October 7.
Among those killed over the weekend was
15-year-old Mohammad Qasem Mohammad Abu Zer, who was shot in the chest by a
sniper in the village of Zawata. The boy joined other young people in throwing
stones at Israeli military vehicles as the IDF entered their town and
surrounded their neighbor's house.
Two other young people who approached
Abu Zer after the shooting—including his 18-year-old brother, Jamil, were also
shot by Israeli snipers.
"Israeli forces are increasingly
and brazenly killing Palestinian children throughout the West Bank," said
Ayed Abu Eqtaish, accountability program director at Defense for Children
International—Palestine. "At this moment, there is absolutely no check on
Israeli aggression as the international community enables war crimes through
the provision of weapons and financial and diplomatic support to ensure Israeli
forces and officers enjoy impunity regardless of the gravity of crimes."
Violence by settlers has also risen by
40% in the West Bank in the last two weeks, MEE reported.
Three Palestinians in the village of
Wadi al-Seeq, 10 miles east of Ramallah, toldHaaretz last week that they and a
group of pro-Palestinian rights Israeli activists were apprehended by armed
settlers and IDF soldiers on October 12 when they were trying to evacuate the
town. They were taken to an abandoned building where the soldiers beat and
abused them for several hours, with one reporting he was sexually assaulted.
Villagers in the West Bank told the BBC
on Saturday that Israeli settlers are "taking advantage" of the
international focus on the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza "by
entering villages and expelling, and even killing, Palestinian civilians,"
with the settlers often accompanied by IDF forces.
The Israeli human rights group Israeli
B'Tselem told the outlet it has documented "a concerted and organized
effort by settlers to use the fact that the entire international and local
attention is focused on Gaza and the north of Israel to try to seize land in
the West Bank," carrying out a long-term goal of the Israeli government.
"Settlers all over the West Bank
see this war as a golden opportunity to torment Palestinians from small
communities who are literally defenseless," said SaritMichaeli, international
advocacy lead for B'Tselem, recently.
Last week, Israeli National Security
Minister Itar Ben Gvir said the government would purchase 10,000 rifles to arm
Israeli civilians, including settlers in the West Bank.
Source: commondreams.org
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https://www.commondreams.org/news/west-bank-violence
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UN General Assembly to meet over
Israel-Hamas war
October 24, 2023
UNITED NATIONS, United States: The UN
General Assembly will meet Thursday to discuss the conflict triggered by the
attack by Hamas militants on Israel, the body’s president announced in a letter
to member states.
The Security Council has so far failed
to agree on a resolution concerning the war, but a number of states — including
Jordan on behalf of an Arab group of nations, Russia, Syria, Bangladesh,
Vietnam and Cambodia — formally requested General Assembly President Dennis
Francis to schedule the meeting.
Last week, the UN Security Council,
regularly divided on the Israeli-Palestinian issue, rejected a Russian draft
resolution calling for a “humanitarian pause.”
Only five of the 15 member states had
supported the text, which condemned all violence against civilians and all
terrorist acts, but did not name Hamas, an unacceptable omission to the United
States, the United Kingdom and France.
Washington then vetoed a second
resolution put forward by Brazil as the text did not mention Israel’s right to
defend itself.
Twelve out of 15 Council members voted
in favor of that resolution, which also condemned the “heinous terrorist
attacks by Hamas,” while Russia and the United Kingdom abstained.
The United States was the only vote
against, but as one of the body’s five permanent members its vote counts as a
veto.
The Security Council will meet to
discuss the issue Tuesday ahead of the General Assembly’s gathering Thursday at
10:00 am (1400 GMT).
Source: arabnews.com
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396651/world
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Israel strikes Hamas target in Gaza
refugee camp, military says
October 24, 2023
The Israeli military said it struck a
Hamas target in a Gaza refugee camp that the Palestinian enclave’s health
ministry said killed or wounded dozens of people late on Monday.
A spokesperson for the military said the
strike targeted a staging ground for Hamas in Gaza’s Al-Shati camp, which abuts
the Mediterranean coastline. The spokesperson did not provide further details.
In a statement on Facebook, Gaza health
ministry spokesman Ashraf Al-Qudra said casualties in the Israeli attack
included children and women. He did not provide further details.
Palestinian media reported that five
people were killed in the camp.
Reuters could not immediately confirm
the reports.
Source: arabnews.com
Please click the following URL to read
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https://www.arabnews.com/node/2396646/middle-east
-------
South Asia
UN report exposes alarming Human Rights
issues, including Hazara killings in Oruzgan, Afghanistan
Fidel Rahmati
October 24, 2023
On Monday, the United Nations Assistance
Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) issued a report covering the human rights
situation in Afghanistan from July to September, spotlighting troubling
developments impacting various aspects of human rights in the country.
The report highlights distressing
accounts of alleged Hazara killings and the destruction of Hazara-owned
property and crops in the Khas Uruzgan province district between June and
August. These reports initially surfaced on social media.
In this report, six cases of murder,
five cases of property destruction, and two cases of Hazara persecution were
recorded from July to September.
UNAMA has dedicated its recent report to
Afghanistan’s continued human rights violations under Taliban control during
these months. The report addresses occupational, educational, and mobility
restrictions on women, as well as casualties resulting from conflict, violent
behaviour towards former government officials, physical punishment, arbitrary detentions,
and media freedom violations.
UNAMA stated that “unidentified
individuals” attacked Hazara farmers in this province, with reports suggesting
Taliban involvement in these killings and violence. However, the United Nations
has remained silent in this report regarding the Taliban’s direct involvement
in these incidents.
UNAMA, in its new report, has confirmed
at least six Hazara killings by “unidentified individuals” five cases of
property destruction, including homes and agricultural products of the Hazaras,
in this province. Additionally, at least two cases of Hazara persecution by
“unidentified individuals” have also occurred in this province, as confirmed in
the UNAMA report.
Previously, in the Hazara-majority
province of Oruzgan, reports from local media revealed that 14 residents of
Jo-i-Naw village were systematically targeted and killed, with simultaneous
efforts to coerce the village’s residents to abandon their homes. The victims
and locals accused the Taliban of involvement in these acts of violence and
massacres against the Hazara community.
UNAMA has documented 800 cases of
extrajudicial killings, torture, mistreatment, arbitrary detentions,
imprisonment, and disappearances involving former government officials and
security forces in the past two years. UNAMA urges the Taliban to take
immediate action to uphold their amnesty commitment, although the Taliban has
consistently denied accusations of mistreatment, regarding them as isolated
incidents.
In its report, UNAMA reveals that on
September 16, a Taliban delegation visited Oruzgan to investigate recent events
and assess the security situation. As a result, 16 suspects were detained and
are currently awaiting trial. Despite the Taliban leader’s “amnesty”
declaration, UNAMA highlights ongoing significant abuses against former
government officials and security forces.
Since the Taliban’s takeover of
Afghanistan in August 2021, the threat of mass atrocities has escalated,
particularly impacting vulnerable groups such as ethnic and religious
minorities. Afghanistan now ranks fourth globally regarding the risk of new
mass civilian killings. It has consistently ranked among the top three
high-risk countries in the Early Warning Project’s recent assessments. The
Hazara community, in particular, faces a growing and widespread wave of attacks
compounded by a history of persecution. Urgent action by the US government and
the international community is imperative, according to Ushmm.org.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/un-report-exposes-alarming-human-rights-issues-including-hazara-killings-in-oruzgan-afghanistan/
--------
Pakistan halts deportation of Afghan
migrants awaiting Western Visas
October 23, 2023
Fidel Rahmati
Pakistani media outlets have reported
that Pakistan’s Interior Minister emphasized during a meeting with Western
diplomats that Pakistan is committed to addressing concerns regarding the
deportation of migrants from the country.
Express Tribune reported on Tuesday,
citing official sources in Pakistan, that migrants waiting for visas to Western
countries will not be deported. According to reports, Pakistan’s Interior
Minister has urged political representatives from Western nations to expedite
the visa issuance process for Afghans slated to relocate to the West.
This development comes as Pakistani
media outlets have disclosed that approximately 60,000 Afghan migrants have
been expelled from various cities and regions of Pakistan in less than a month.
Around one month ago, Pakistani
authorities ordered illegal migrants to leave the country by the end of
October. It is worth noting that many of these Afghan migrants sought refuge in
Pakistan due to security concerns, and some are being transferred through
Pakistan to countries like Germany and Canada.
Pakistan’s decision to deport Afghan
migrants and refugees has triggered criticism from human rights groups and
activists, who express deep concerns about the safety of those escaping
conflict and persecution in Afghanistan.
The deportation decision is particularly
troubling because many Afghan migrants have sought refuge in Pakistan due to
the security challenges in their home country. Pakistan has historically served
as a sanctuary, offering respite from violence and instability. Sending them
back to a war-torn nation where their lives are in jeopardy raises ethical and
moral questions.
Human rights advocates are calling on
Pakistan to reconsider its stance and prioritize the protection of Afghan
migrants and refugees. They stress the importance of providing a haven and
support by international humanitarian principles. The ongoing dialogue between
Pakistan and the international community will be pivotal in determining the
fate of these vulnerable individuals.
Source: khaama.com
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https://www.khaama.com/pakistan-halts-deportation-of-afghan-migrants-awaiting-western-visas/
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Cameras in Cities Have Facial-Recognition
Capability: MoI
Naveed Samadi
October 24, 2023
The Ministry of Interior said that the
security cameras installed in Kabul and some highways across the country have
facial-recognition capabilities.
The spokesman for the MoI, Abdul
MatinQani, said that many criminals have been detained through the use of these
cameras.
“Some of the security cameras have high
capabilities of facial recognition. We have good achievement in this regard in
capturing criminals quickly and providing security in the city,” he said.
He also stressed that there have been no
contracts with any country regarding the cameras and that efforts are underway
to make contracts for camera operations with domestic companies.
“The security survey has not been
conducted by the analysts yet. After the survey is conducted and the budget is
formed, we will then make contracts and will give opportunities to domestic
companies,” he said.
This comes as earlier the China Project,
a New York-based, China-focused news, information, and business services
platform reported:
“An August 2023 agreement between the
Taliban and Huawei, China’s giant telecommunications and surveillance
technology company, could soon see the rollout of cameras equipped with
facial-recognition capabilities in every province of Afghanistan."
The analysts believe that installation
of cameras is important to improve security, but it cannot prevent security
incidents.
“It [cameras] doesn’t have any role in
the prevention of incidents but to recognize the criminal or detain them, it
has an important role,” said Yousuf Amin Zazai, military analyst.
According to the MoI, approximately
65,000 cameras have been installed over the past two years.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185683
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Over 40,000 Cases Tried in Past 3
Months: Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate
NaweedSamad
October 23, 2023
The Supreme Court of the Islamic Emirate
reports that in the past three months it has dealt with more than 40,000
different cases across the country.
“In all the courts of the country,
44,496 different cases have been resolved in these three months, and these
numbers show that the authorities have done enough work,” said Abdul Rahim
Rashid, spokesman for the Supreme Court.
Abdul Rahim Rashid said that the
department has also distributed more than 44,000 different documents to
citizens throughout the country during this period.
“In the last three months, Saratan,
Asad, and Sanbula months, 44,560 different documents have been executed, of
which 11,731 of them were marriage certificates.
Meanwhile, some citizens who have
referred to the Supreme Court have some requests from the Islamic Emirate.
“What we want from Afghanistan's courts,
whether it is primary or appellate courts, whether there is a legal case or
anything else, we want justice in it,” said Mahrmullah, an applicant.
“I had a file from the previous
government and the file had many problems. Since this government came, things
have become very easy,” said Sayedullah, an applicant.
The Supreme Court continues to
acknowledge the complaints regarding the slowness of providing services to
citizens and pledged that these challenges will be addressed in a better way.
Source: tolonews.com
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https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-185675
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Sexual Harassment: RU prof relieved of
duties for 2yrs
Oct 24, 2023
Rajshahi University syndicate has
decided to relieve Prof MdEnamul Haque, a teacher of psychology department, of
all his professional duties for two years.
The punitive action against Prof Enamul
was taken in a meeting of the syndicate on Sunday for sexually harassing two of
his colleagues in the department in May, several syndicate members said
yesterday.
The decision will take effect within a
week when the minutes of the syndicate meeting will be signed, said RU Vice
Chancellor Prof Golam Shabbir Sattar, who chaired the syndicate meeting.
"The decision was taken following
the High Court guidelines of 2010 on preventing sexual harassments on
campuses," said Assistant Prof Sadiqul Islam Sagor, a member of the
syndicate.
In May, nine teachers of the psychology
department filed a complaint to the VC alleging that two of the department
teachers were sexually harassed by Prof Enamul.
A committee, formed under HC directives
to prevent sexual harassment on campuses, investigated the allegations and
later submitted its report to the syndicate.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/news/sexual-harassment-ru-prof-relieved-duties-2yrs-3451216
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17 killed as trains collide in Bhairab
Oct 24, 2023
At least 17 people were killed after a
freight train ignored a signal light and rammed into a carriage of
EgarosindhurGodhuli near Bhairab Bazar Junction Railway Station yesterday
afternoon.
Due to the impact, three carriages of
Egarosindhur, packed with passengers, derailed and two overturned.
Witnesses and officials of Bangladesh
Railway said Egarosindhur left Bhairab junction for Dhaka around 3:30pm, and as
it was changing lines, the freight train, coming from the opposite direction,
smashed into the third from the last carriage.
Some of the victims died at the scene
while many others got trapped inside the mangled carriages.
The last two carriages flipped on their
sides. Some of the passengers standing near the doors were flung outside on
impact.
Locals, police, fire fighters, and Rab
personnel, who rushed to the scene, pulled out bodies and the injured from the
wreckage. At least 75 people were taken to hospitals.
Opu, a teen, was in the third last
carriage with his parents.
"When the collision happened,
everyone inside started screaming. We managed to get out," he said.
He said his uncle, aunt, and two cousins
were in the second-last carriage.
"We rushed there to find them. The
scene inside was chaotic with people screaming for help. We found one of my
cousins dead. We thought my uncle, aunt, and the other cousin might have
survived. We rushed to the upazila health complex and found their bodies.
"We got on the train together; we
survived narrowly, but they are all gone," Opu told this newspaper at the
Bhairab Upazila Health Complex.
ShobujShil and his wife Shanti Rani Shil
were going to Narsingdi from Bhairab to celebrate Durga Puja with their only
daughter who got married two weeks ago.
Shobuj, 48, did not survive.
"We were eagerly waiting to see my
daughter and her in-laws. We got on the train and within a few minutes, my
world turned upside down," Shanti Rani said.
Alyea Begum, of Sreenagar area in
Kishoreganj, was wailing after seeing a photo of the body of her nephew, Rabbi,
25, on a display at the health complex.
Rabbi, the only son of her brother, was
returning to Dhaka after visiting his ailing father. "We were looking for
a bride for Rabbi. But everything is shattered now," she said.
Family members and relatives also went
to the spot to find their loved ones. Many were in tears and wailing.
Akram Hossain, of Aganagar area in
Bhairab, was looking for his brother at the scene. He said his brother was
travelling to Dhaka on the train as he was supposed to go abroad.
"His phone is unreachable … . I
can't find him anywhere," he said.
Shafiqul Hossain, of Bhairav, was
looking for his grandmother.
"I came to see off my grandmother.
She came to visit our home a few days ago. I was waiting at the station when I
heard the bang. Now I can't find her. I don't know whether she is alive,"
he said.
A total of 75 people were taken to the
health complex as of 9:00pm, said Kishoreganj Civil Surgeon Saiful Islam.
He said 22 of them were moved to
hospitals in Dhaka, Kishoreganj, and Narsingdi.
At least six of the wounded were in
Dhaka Medical College Hospital and nine others in Pangu Hospital.
The crash snapped Dhaka's rail link with
Chattogram, Sylhet and Mymensingh. The link was restored after a rescue train
removed the wrecked carriages from the lines around 7:30pm.
Nazmul Islam, acting general manager
(east) of Bangladesh Railway, told The Daily Star, "The freight train had
ignored the signal."
A video clip, recorded on a handheld
device from the roof of Egarosindhur, revealed the moments before impact.
Egarosindhur was switching to the main line when the freight train slammed into
the passenger train which was yet to clear the switch, a mechanism with which
trains change lines.
BR suspended the driver, his assistant,
and the guard of the freight train following a preliminary investigation.
BR Director General Quamrul Islam said
BR formed two committees to probe the incident.
The Dhaka divisional office of BR formed
a four-member committee which was asked to submit its report within three
working days.
BR's East Zonal Office in Chattogram
formed a five-member body and asked it to submit the report within five working
days, the DG said.
On November 12, 2019, two intercity
trains collided in Kasba of Brahmanbaria killing 16 people and injuring more
than 70 people.
Source: thedailystar.net
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https://www.thedailystar.net/news/bangladesh/accidents-fires/news/rail-connectivity-restored-after-bhairab-train-accident-3451071
--------
Africa
Nigeria: 76 people arrested for
organising a "gay wedding
23 Oct 2023
More than 70 young people were arrested
on Saturday by security forces on charges of organising a gay wedding in
north-east Nigeria, where such unions are criminalised and violence against the
LGBT+ community is widespread.
Same-sex marriage is illegal in Nigeria
under a 2014 law, and punishable by 14 years in prison.
"We apprehended 76 suspected
homosexuals at a birthday party organised by one of them who was due to marry
his fiancé at the event," said Buhari Saad, the spokesman for the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Gombe State, a paramilitary
organisation under the government.
The arrested youths include 59 men and
17 women.
Lawyers for those arrested could not
immediately be contacted for comment or confirmation.
Intimidation of the LGBT+ community is
rife in Nigeria, and in recent years the security forces have carried out
numerous raids on parties where they believe weddings are taking place.
However, none of those arrested have been convicted.
In August, police arrested more than a
hundred men in similar circumstances in south-east Nigeria.
The human rights organisation Amnesty
International has called for an end to this "witch-hunt".
"In a society where corruption is
endemic, the law prohibiting same-sex relationships is increasingly being used
for harassment, extortion and blackmail by law enforcement officials and other
members of the public", it also condemned.
In December, 19 men and women in their
twenties were arrested in Kano, the largest city in northern Nigeria, by the
Islamic police, known as Hisbah, on charges of organising a gay wedding.The
suspects were reprimanded and released without being brought to justice.
Gombe State, where the arrests took
place on Saturday, is also one of the northern states with a Muslim majority
where Islamic Sharia law is applied alongside the federal and state judicial
systems.
Under Sharia law, homosexual relations
are punishable by death. However, this sentence has never been applied in
northern Nigeria. The NSCDC spokesman refused to say whether the suspects
arrested on Saturday would be charged under Sharia law or ordinary law.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/10/23/nigeria-76-people-arrested-for-organising-a-gay-wedding/
---------
UN Peacekeepers Expedite Pull-Out From
Northern Mali Camp Amid Tense Security Context
October 24, 2023
UN peacekeepers made an early withdrawal
from their camp at Tessalit in northern Mali, the United Nations mission revealed
Sunday.
The MINUSMA statement read that the
pull-out was completed "in an extremely tense and degraded security
context putting in danger the lives of personnel".
Before quitting the base and heading for
Gao (the biggest town in northern Mali), MINUSMA said it had "destroyed,
deactivated or put out of service equipment such as vehicles, munitions,
generators and other items". It followed UN protocols since some of the
equipment could not be be returned to troop contributing countries to which it
belonged nor redeployed to other peacekeeping missions.
UN staff had previously been
"forced to shelter in bunkers several times because of shooting", the
statement said.
It gave the example of October 19, when
incoming fire targeted a C130 transport plane on landing at Tessalit. No
injuries or serious damage were recorded.
The Malian army said it took over the
Tessalit camp on Saturday. It is the first handover in the sensitive Kidal
region where clashes with armed groups have flared.
The Alliance of groups seeking autonomy
or independence (CMA) and the Al-Qaeda-linked (GSIM) have recently carried out
a series of attacks on army positions.
Before Tessalit, MINUSMA had transferred
five other camps to the Malian authorities since August.
But the evacuation of the camps in the
Kidal region, and especially the town of Kidal, a separatist bastion, remains a
major challenge.
The separatists do not want the camps
handed back to the Malian army, saying it would contravene ceasefire and peace
deals struck with Bamako in 2014 and 2015.
The withdrawal of around 13,000
peacekeepers (11,600 soldiers and 1,500 police officers) from ten or so
countries is due to continue until December 31.
The withdrawal of the UN stabilisation
mission in Mali (MINUSMA) after 13 years has ignited fears that fighting will
intensify between troops and armed factions for control of the territory.
Mali's ruling junta, which seized power
in 2020, had in June demanded the mission leave despite being in the grip of
jihadism and raging crises.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/10/23/un-peacekeepers-expedite-pullout-from-norther-mali-camp-amid-tense-security-context/
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KatsinaGovt Introduces Monthly
Allowances For Muslim Clerics
October 24, 2023
Ochogwu Sunday
Katsina State Government, on Monday,
said it has concluded plans to introduce special allowances to Friday Mosques
clerics, their deputies, Mua’dhins (callers of prayer) and Ward Heads to
encourage them in the fight against insecurity.
The state governor, DikkoRadda, who
revealed this after inaugurating the Steering Committees for the Katsina
Community Watch Corps, KCSWC, however, did not mention Christian clerics in the
planned allowance.
A statement by his Chief Press
Secretary, CPS, Mr Ibrahim Kaula-Mohammed, quoted the governor saying that the
committee would collaborate with other security personnel to seek out bandits
across the state.
According to him, members of the
steering committee for each of the 34 Local Government Areas of the state
included the Council Chairman, District Head, Divisional Police Officer and
representatives of various security agencies.
Others, he said, are two representatives
of the business community, as well as representatives of religious sects.
The Governor said that the committee
would monitor and evaluate the operation of the KCSWC in their areas and
present monthly reports to the Commissioner for Internal Security.
Earlier, the State Commissioner for
Internal Security and Home Affairs, Dr. NasiruMu’azu-Danmusa had said that
insecurity was gradually waning across the State since the creation of KCSWC.
In their separate remarks,
representatives of the Emir of Katsina, AlhajiAminuNuhu-Abdulkadir and retired
Justice SaddikAbdullahi-Mahuta commended the governor for taking steps to
tackle insecurity in the state.
Nuhu-Abdulkadir, who is the District
Head of Rimi and Abdullahi-Mahuta, the District Head of Malumfashi,
respectively, pledged continued support of the traditional rulers to the
committee.
Source: dailypost.ng
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https://dailypost.ng/2023/10/24/insecurity-katsina-govt-introduces-monthly-allowances-for-muslim-clerics/
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Julius Malema tells Muslim community to
abandon ANC due to non-closure of Israeli embassy
23 Oct 2023
EFF leader Julius Malema called on
Muslims to stop voting for the ANC because it refused to close the Israeli
embassy, despite having the legislative powers to do so.
On Monday, Malema led a march of
hundreds of supporters to the embassy in Pretoria, in support of Palestine.
"The Muslim community that stands
with Palestine must vote for a government that will stand unashamedly with the
people of Palestine.
"When elections come, our Muslim
communities vote for the ANC, which has the power to remove the embassy, and
yet it is not doing so because it benefits both sides.
"This war in Palestine will not be
won if our actions and talk are not the same," he said.
The EFF's protest comes days after the
ANC held its own demonstration at the embassy.
ANC leaders condemned Israel for the
continued violence witnessed in the Middle East, and the continued bombing of
Gaza by the Israeli Defence Force.
Malema also shamed voters who aligned
themselves with the DA.
"Our brothers and sisters who
believe that Palestine is under attack must always do the right thing.
"We have Muslim communities who say
they support Palestine, and we will do everything in our power to support it,
but when the elections come, they vote for the DA, which supports Israel,"
he told the crowd.
He called Israel a murderous government,
saying the calls for a boycott of that country were meant for the Israeli
government and not Jewish people.
Malema labelled Hamas as freedom
fighters and not terrorists, as opposed to how the militant group had been
portrayed in Israel and by Western countries.
"We do not want apartheid Israel,
and it must never be confused that we do not want the Jews.
"We are not fighting with Jews, but
we are fighting with apartheid Israel.
"We are not only going to arm Hamas
when we become government. We are going to remove this embassy.
"Do not listen to the ANC that was
here for PR on Friday because they have the power to remove this nonsense
behind these walls, and why are they not doing it?
"They are scared of the Israeli
government," Malema said.
The EFF leader went on to target
specific retailers which imported goods from Israel.
He threatened Woolworths, saying it had
until the end of the month to ensure it removed Israeli products.
"You are the one who makes that
government who it is.
"If we all boycotted products from
that country, Israel would know that it is time to listen," Malema said.
Former ANC member Carl Niehaus was in
attendance.
The deputy ambassador of Palestine,
Bassam Elhussiny, was also present at the march.
EFF members were dressed in party
colours, but wore scarves representing the Palestine flag, in solidarity with
that country.
The crowd of more than 500 people was
attended by a small number of Muslims - who, like at the ANC march, condemned
Israel and supported Palestine.
One member of the crowd, who carried a
fake gun, told News24 he viewed the efforts by Hamas as necessary to defend
Palestinian land.
Source: news24.com
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https://www.news24.com/news24/politics/political-parties/julius-malema-tells-muslim-community-to-abandon-anc-due-to-non-closure-of-israeli-embassy-20231023
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S.Africa's third biggest political party
holds protest outside Israeli embassy
October 24, 2023
South African opposition party, the
Economic Freedom Fighters’ held Monday (Oct. 23) a pro-Palestinian
demonstration in Pretoria.
Crowds gathered in front of the Israeli
Embassy as Julius Malema, renewed calls for the closure of the embassy and
urged retailers to stop selling Israeli goods.
Monday marked the 17th day of the latest
Israel-Hamas war that has left thousands of dead.
"When you are oppressed, the only
option you have is to fight, and that's what Hamas is doing", Malema said.
"They are fighting for their
freedom, Mandela did the same thing, took up the guns and fought for the
freedom of the people of South Africa, when you are oppressed, you only have
one option."
What is Hamas?
The group was founded in 1987 by Sheikh
Ahmed Yassin, a Palestinian refugee living in Gaza, during the first intifada,
or uprising, which was marked by widespread protests against Israel’s occupation.
Hamas is the Arabic acronym for the
Islamic Resistance Movement, and a recognition of the group’s roots and early
ties to one of the Sunni world’s most prominent groups, the Muslim Brotherhood,
founded in Egypt in the 1920s.
Hamas won 2006 parliamentary elections
elections and in 2007 violently seized control of the Gaza Strip from the
internationally recognized Palestinian Authority. The Palestinian Authority,
dominated by rival Fatah movement, administers semi-autonomous areas of the
Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Israel responded to the Hamas takeover
with a blockade on Gaza, restricting movement of people and goods in and out of
the territory, which earned the strip the name of "open-air prison".
The blockade has ravaged Gaza’s economy,
and Palestinians accuse Israel of collective punishment. Israel says the step
is needed to keep the group from developing weapons.
Hamas which has espoused violence as a
means to liberate occupied Palestinian territories launched a deadly incursion
on October 7.
In retaliation, Israel pummeled the Gaza
Strip with airstrikes that have killed thousands of civilians.
Protests
"Israel has to be stopped so that
when an agreement is reached , of two state solution, they are committed to it,
and they will not continue to expand their territories into Palestinian's
territory illegally," Julius Malema said.
The ruling (ANC) held a similar picket
outside Israel's embassy on Friday (Oct. 20).
President Cyril Ramaphosa called
Saturday (Oct. 21) for a United Nations-led negotiation process towards
resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, when speaking at the Gaza peace
summit in Egypt.
"We call for an immediate cessation
of hostilities, the release of hostages, the lifting of the siege of Gaza,
opening of humanitarian corridors and the urgent provision of humanitarian aid
on the required scale to the people of Gaza,"he said.
A wave of pro-Palestinian demonstrations
have swept across North Africa in recent days in response to the conflict
between Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas.
Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian
demonstrators marched through a rainy London on Saturday (Oct. 21) to demand
Israel stop its bombardment of Gaza, and similar calls were heard in cities
around the world
The war has raised tensions around the
world, with both Jewish and Muslim communities feeling under threat.
Israel continued to bombard targets in
Gaza on Saturday (Oct. 21) ahead of an expected ground offensive. A small
measure of relief came when 20 trucks carrying humanitarian aid were allowed to
enter Gaza across the southern Rafah border crossing with Egypt.
Source: africanews.com
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https://www.africanews.com/2023/10/23/safricas-third-biggest-political-party-holds-protest-outside-israeli-embassy/
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Death sentences for 38 over 2021
lynching of Algeria fires volunteer
October 24, 2023
Thirty-eight people were sentenced to
death in Algeria on Monday for their role in the 2021 killing of
DjamelBensmail.
He had been falsely accused of starting
deadly forest fires in the north-eastern Kabylie region when in fact he had
volunteered to fight them.
"As the defence committee for the
late DjamelBensmail, we believe that the verdict is just. The court questioned
the defendants sufficiently to ensure a fair and just verdict for all,"
said Fakher-EddineBerahna, a member of Bensmail's defence committee
Bensmail had handed himself in after
hearing he was suspected of arson at the height of the blazes which killed at
least 90 people.
But a mob surrounded the police van,
beating him before dragging him out and setting him on fire, with some even
taking selfies next to his body.
His gruesome murder set off a wave of
revulsion across the country.
After the images went viral, often
shared with the hashtag #JusticePourDjamelBenIsmail, the people who took the
selfies tried to cover their tracks.
But internet users across the country
compiled videos and took screenshots to ensure the crime did not go unpunished.
The state news agency, APS, said out of
the 94 defendants, 27 were acquitted, and the remaining 29 who were not
sentenced to death, received jail terms ranging from 3 to 20 years.
"The victim's father said from the
outset that he had confidence in Algerian justice, in the justice of our
country. He is now reassured. What interests us is that the great manipulators
of this affair are punished with the right sentence," said Berahna.
The fires were spurred by a blistering
heatwave, but the authorities also blamed arsonists.
The death sentences for the 38 will be
commuted to life in prison as Algeria has a moratorium on capital punishment.
Source: africanews.com
Please click the following URL to read
the full text of the original
https://www.africanews.com/2023/10/24/death-sentences-for-38-over-2021-lynching-of-algeria-fires-volunteer/
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URL:
https://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/bjp-suspension-prophet-derogatory/d/130966