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Islamic Human Rights Commission
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10 October 2006

Press Release: IHRC Statement in Response to Prime Minister Blair’s Support for Jack Straw’s Veil Comments

IHRC Chairman Massoud Shadjareh stated:

“To argue that a few thousand women in veil constitute the obstacle to community cohesion is nothing but an Islamophobic ploy to ignore the root causes of alienation of the most discriminated community in Britain today”

“The reality is that those veiled women who visited Jack Straw’s office took a substantial step towards integration and engagement with the system only to be told that the system does not recognise them as equal citizens”

For more information please contact (+44) 20 8904 4222, or (44) 7958 522196 or email:info@ihrc.org.[ ENDS ]

Notes for Editor:

IHRC’s recent report in the British Muslims’ Expectations of the Government series dealt with the issue of Hijab. Please contact the office info@ihrc.org for a review copy of: \’Hijab, Meaning, Identity, Otherization and Politics: British Muslim Women\’. A report by Saied R. Ameli, and Arzu Merali for the Islamic Human Rights Commission. Publication date: 26th January 2006, ISBN 1-903718-26-0, 84 pp, or visit the website for a summary:

https://www.ihrc.org.uk/show.php?id=1708

Islamic Human Rights Commission
PO Box 598
Wembley
HA9 7XH
United Kingdom

Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222
Fax (+44) 20 8904 5183
Email: info@ihrc.org
Web: www.ihrc.org