Category: Islam

Richard Cornes: 11-1 gender ratio Court’s Achilles Heel: Reporting of the Supreme Court’s start of the year press briefing – UK Constitutional Law Group

Posted October 16th, 2013 in diversity, human rights, Islam, media, news, Supreme Court, women by sally

“On October 2 at 10am, the United Kingdom Supreme Court held an hour long pre-term press-briefing to mark the opening of the Court’s fifth year. This blog looks not only at what was said by the Court, and asked by the journalists on the day, but also what was then reported.”

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UK Constitutional Law Group, 16th October 2013

Source: www.ukconstitutionallaw.org

The Right to Pray and Work – No. 5 Chambers

Posted October 15th, 2013 in employment, Islam, news, religious discrimination by sally

“Recently I represented a white muslim convert lady to Islam in a claim of direct and indirect religious discrimination under the Employment Equality (Religion or Belief) Regulations 2003. The Direct Discrimination claim was that she was treated less favourably as a muslim in not being provided with uninterrupted breaks. The indirect discrimination claim was wider.”

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No. 5 Chambers, 14th October 2013

Source: www.no5.com

Schedule 7 powers too intrusive, says committee – The Guardian

Posted October 14th, 2013 in airports, bills, complaints, detention, human rights, investigatory powers, Islam, judicial review, news, police, religious discrimination, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Stop and search powers at ports and airports – used to detain the partner of the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald for nine hours during the summer – are too intrusive, according to a parliamentary committee.”

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The Guardian, 11th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Exclusive: Watchdog takes police to court over airport ‘harassment’ – The Independent

Posted October 11th, 2013 in airports, complaints, harassment, immigration, Islam, news, police, religious discrimination, stop and search by sally

“Scotland Yard acted unlawfully after failing to fully investigate claims that innocent Muslims were detained and harassed at airports under sweeping anti-terrorism laws, the police watchdog has claimed.”

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The Independent, 10th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Tory ECHR Withdrawal, Prisoner Cold Turkey & Niqabs Again – The Human Rights Roundup – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted October 2nd, 2013 in court dress, human rights, Islam, news, prisons, smoking, women by tracey

“This week the Conservative Party Conference is likely to generate human rights headlines. Meanwhile, previous controversies still bubble away. Chris Grayling, taking a break from legal aid cuts, offered his opinion on the Europe debate. Meanwhile, others considered the role of transparency, demeanour, religious freedom and niqabs in the courts, and, with the proposed smoking ban in prisons, smokers may have found another reason not to break the law.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 29th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Balancing the Niqab in the Courtroom on the Head of a Pin: the Case of D(R) – The Barristers’ Hub

Posted October 1st, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, women by sally

“Professor Susan Edwards, following recent judicial guidance and debate on the wearing of the niqab, provides both expert and legal opinion on the issue.”

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The Barristers’ Hub, 1st October 2013

Source: www.barristershub.co.uk

Muslim prisoners sue over contaminated halal pies – Daily Telegraph

Posted September 30th, 2013 in compensation, food, human rights, Islam, news, prisons, religious discrimination by sally

“Nearly 200 Muslim prisoners are suing the Government after being served halal food contaminated with pork, claiming their human rights were breached.”

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Daily Telegraph, 29th September 2013

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Niqab court ruling: a classic exercise in reasonableness – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 25th, 2013 in court dress, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, practice directions, religious discrimination, rule of law, women by sally

“In 1894 Edward Marshall Hall KC defended the Austrian-born prostitute Marie Hermann, charged with the murder of a client whose body she hid in a trunk. The jury acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter after what has become his most famous jury speech ending with, ‘Look at her, gentlemen of the jury, look at her. God never gave her a chance, won’t you?’ The personalities may have changed and the language less flowery but the basic principle of a jury trial is the same – we judge our peers on the evidence and that is the evidence presented in court. This includes our assessment of other human beings, not just what they say but how they say it.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 25th September 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Veils in court – should they be allowed? – Legal Week

Posted September 20th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, women by sally

“The media have been riveted in recent days by a drama in Blackfriars Crown Court, where a defendant charged with intimidating a witness refused to remove her full-face veil or ‘niqab’.”

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Legal Week, 19th September 2013

Source: www.legalweek.com

Doctors and nurses’ regulators asked to clarify guidance on face veils – The Guardian

Posted September 20th, 2013 in codes of practice, doctors, freedom of expression, Islam, news, nurses, women by sally

“A government minister has asked the regulatory bodies for doctors and nurses to clarify their guidance on the wearing of veils after concerns that patients may be denied face-to-face contact with the person treating them.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Veils and ignorance: defendant not allowed to wear niqaab when giving evidence – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 19th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, identification, Islam, news, trials, women by sally

“The ruling by HHJ Murphy in Blackfriars Crown Court this Monday that a defendant in a criminal trial should not be allowed to wear a niqaab (face veil) whilst giving her evidence has prompted calls for a public debate about the wearing of face veils in public more generally. Adam Wagner has already commented on the case here. A summary and analysis of the decision follows below.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 18th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Minister orders review of guidelines for health workers wearing full-face veils – The Guardian

Posted September 19th, 2013 in doctors, employment, freedom of expression, health, Islam, news, nurses, women by sally

“A review is being launched into health service guidelines on full-face veils to ensure that patients always have ‘appropriate face-to-face contact’, it has emerged.”

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The Guardian, 19th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Niqaab issue is too important to be left to liberal instinct – UK Human Rights Blog

Posted September 18th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, judgments, judiciary, juries, news, public interest, religious discrimination, women by sally

“Yesterday, before His Honour Judge Peter Murphy ruled that a female Muslim defendant in a criminal trial must remove her face-covering veil (niqaab) whilst giving evidence, Home Office Minister Jeremy Brown said he was ‘instinctively uneasy’ about restricting religious freedoms, but that there should be a national debate over banning the burka.”

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UK Human Rights Blog, 17th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Wearing veil should be the woman’s choice, says Theresa May – The Guardian

Posted September 18th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, Islam, news, religious discrimination, women by sally

“The government should not tell women what to wear, the home secretary has said, amid ongoing debate over the use of full-face veils.”

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The Guardian, 17th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.com

Analysis: The niqab judgement explained – BBC News

Posted September 17th, 2013 in courts, identification, Islam, news, witnesses, women by sally

“Last week I blogged on a very modern multicultural dilemma at Blackfriars Crown Court – where a judge had to rule on whether a defendant could appear in the dock wearing a niqab, a type of Muslim veil that conceals the whole face, other than the eyes.”

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BBC News, 16th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Muslim woman must remove veil to give trial evidence – BBC News

Posted September 16th, 2013 in contempt of court, courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“A Muslim woman can stand trial wearing a full-face veil but must remove it to give evidence, a judge has ruled.”

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BBC News, 16th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Niqabs in court: should full-face veils be banned? – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

Posted September 16th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“We’re finally up against it now, aren’t we? After years of dancing round the issue, the law is finally called upon to make a specific ruling on the wearing of the niqab. So let’s make sure we know what we are talking about, because without a doubt there will be proponents and opponents alike who seek to interpret the decision (whatever it may be) to suit their cause.”

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Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 16th September 2013

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Police face court over refusal to hand over reports on anti-Muslim ‘bias’ – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2013 in complaints, human rights, investigatory powers, Islam, minorities, news, ombudsmen, police, religious discrimination, statistics, stop and search, terrorism by tracey

“Scotland Yard is facing court action next week after refusing to hand over the results of investigations it was ordered to conduct into claims that it used counter-terrorism powers to discriminate against and harass innocent Muslims.”

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The Guardian, 13th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Judge to decide if defendant can wear niqab – The Guardian

Posted September 16th, 2013 in courts, evidence, freedom of expression, human rights, Islam, juries, news, religious discrimination by tracey

“Decision due on Monday on whether woman must show face in court or will be allowed to wear full-face veil.”

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The Guardian, 16th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Veil exposes courtroom quandary – BBC News

Posted September 13th, 2013 in courts, identification, Islam, news, pleadings, precedent, women by tracey

“Sitting in Blackfriars Crown Court in south London, I watched a very modern, multicultural dilemma. Back in August, a Muslim woman was due to appear, accused of intimidating a witness. The woman, whom the BBC isn’t naming for legal reasons, was expected to enter a plea. But Judge Peter Murphy said he could not hear that plea because he could not identify her: she was wearing a niqab, the type of black face covering worn by some Muslim women that only leaves their eyes visible.”

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BBC News, 12th September 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk