UNITED KINGDOM

Press Release - 08 February 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BARNABAS FUND CALLS ON LORDS TO REJECT RELIGIOUS HATE LAW, AS BILL SHAMELESSLY PUSHED THROUGH COMMONS

Barnabas Fund is calling on the House of Lords to be firm in the face of government pressure and reject laws banning incitement to religious hatred which pose a serious danger to free speech. The proposed legislation, which forms Schedule 10 of the Serious Organised Crime and Police Bill, was passed by the House of Commons on Monday 7 February and now proceeds to the Lords.

The law is tucked away on just 3 pages of this otherwise unrelated bill. MPs from all sides of the house were outraged by the very limited time allowed by the government for discussion of this crucially important issue with potentially huge ramifications for free speech [1]. Both in Committee and at Report Stage the government consistently rejected reasonable amendments which, though not perfect, would have reduced the risk the law poses to legitimate free speech.

The government's approach does little to allay fears that it is introducing the law as a blatant piece of electioneering. In a recent article in the Muslim Weekly government minister Mike O'Brien appeared to confirm that the law is a direct result of lobbying by Muslim leaders [2]. The Sunday Times reports that Muslim leaders are threatening to withdraw support from parties that do not back the law [3].

The government has argued that the law will not ban missionary activity, religious jokes or criticism of another's beliefs. However, alarmingly in the Report Stage debate in the Commons Mr Khalid Mahmood, a Labour MP, appeared to give the impression that he personally did not rule out the possible application of the law in the case of The Satanic Verses [4]. When pressed on this point Home Office minister Hazel Blears avoided giving a direct confirmation that Salman Rushdie could not be prosecuted under the law [5].

Barnabas Fund's International Director Patrick Sookhdeo said "We are deeply disappointed that the House of Commons has passed this proposal. We call on the House of Lords to resist government pressure to push this bill into law swiftly for purely electoral reasons. We urge peers to ensure that the issue of religious hatred, with its huge potential implications for free speech, is properly debated at length. We call on them to remove this dangerous proposal from the bill."

NOTES FOR EDITORS

The government argues that the law is needed to prevent far-right groups and extremists of all religions whipping up hatred against the followers of other faiths. However, a broad based coalition of journalists, senior lawyers, MPs, peers, human rights groups, civil liberties organizations, religious organisations, secularists and actors, amongst others, co-ordinated by Barnabas Fund fear that far from achieving this laudable aim the law will instead effectively end up banning all legitimate criticism of religion and religious practices.

Barnabas Fund is concerned that those who speak out on behalf of millions of people who suffer as a result of particular religious teachings, such as Muslims who convert to another faith (who should be executed according to Islamic law) or Dalits (treated as "untouchables" in the traditional Hindu caste system), could be silenced.

Further information on the proposed law banning Incitement to Religious Hatred is available on Barnabas Fund's website [7].

LINKS

[1] - http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm050203/debtext/50203-15.htm

[2] - http://www.themuslimweekly.com/newspaper/viewfullstory.aspx?newsid=nw00002041

[3] - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-1472143,00.html

[4] - http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm050207/debtext/50207-17.htm

[5] - http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200405/cmhansrd/cm050207/debtext/50207-19.htm

[7] - http://www.barnabasfund.org/news/itrhc/about_itrhc.htm

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