Join us for this year’s SACC/IHRC Scottish Islamophobia Conference on Sunday 14 December 2025 which asks how we can resist racism and colonialism while threatened in much of the “western” world by increasingly authoritarian governments and by the growing influence of far-right forces outside government. The Conference will seek to develop themes explored a week earlier at an  Islamophobia Conference in London titled “From Freedom to Comfort: How the State Redefined Conscience as Extremism.”

Confirmed speakers include Aamer Anwar (lawyer), Omar Afzal (Scottish Association of Mosques), Linsay Taylor (MEND), Raisah Ahmed (Screenwriter and Director), Professor Saeed Khan (Wayne State University, Detroit, USA), Moazzam Begg (CAGE International, Senior Director), Richard Haley (SACC), Arzu Merali (IHRC), Yvonne Ridley (journalist), Sarah McCaffer (SPSC) and Fahad Ansari (lawyer). Other speakers and futher details of the conference will be announced shortly.

There will be an Emergency Session with Aamer Anwar to discuss the crisis facing the public inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh.

Refreshments and a light lunch will be provided.

Venue: The Ark, 70 Coplaw St, Glasgow G42 7JG

Please note that the venue unfortunately does not have wheelchair access. 

Programme

Breaks are scheduled to cover Muslim prayer times

10.30 Doors open, registration

11.00 – 11.15 Introduction. Richard Haley (SACC) and Arzu Merali (IHRC, by video).

11.15 – 12.00 Emergency Session.  “Crisis in the Sheku Bayoh Inquiry” with Aamer Anwar.

12.00 – 12.30 Panel 1 Part 1 “Islamophobia in Scotland”. Omar Afzal (Scottish Association of Mosques) and Linsay Taylor (MEND). Chaired by Richard Haley

12.30 – 12.45 Break. Refreshments provided.

12.45 – 13.30 Panel 1 Part 2 Raisah Ahmed (Screenwriter/director) and Q&A with all panellists. Chaired by Richard Haley

13.30 – 14.15 Break. Lunch provided.

14.15 – 15.30 Panel 2 “Cancelling and Reclaiming Resistance – Decolonising the struggle in Gaza and the West.” Professor Saeed Khan (Wayne State University), Richard Haley (SACC), Moazzam Begg (CAGE International, Senior Director). Chaired by Kaneez Hisbani (IHRC)

15.30 – 16.00 Panel 3 Part 1 “Conscience and dissent” Yvonne Ridley (journalist), Sarah Mcaffer (SPSC). Chaired by Richard Haley

16.00-16.15 Break. Refreshments provided.

16.15 – 17.00 Panel 3 Part 2. Fahad Ansari (lawyer, by video) and Q&A with all panellists. Chaired by Richard Haley

17.00 – 17.15 Conference Summary by Professor Saeed Khan

Notes for Editors: Since 2014, the Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) has held an annual Islamophobia Conference to discuss key issues with regard to structural and institutionalised Islamophobia. Each conference has been co-organised with Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC) and Decolonial International Network (DIN). Our first Scottish conference was held in Edinburgh in 2015. Scottish conferences were then held every year in either Glasgow or Edinburgh in addition to the London conference until 2020. The 2020 and 2021 conferences were held exclusively online, with a return to hybrid online/London conferences in subsequent years. This year is the first year since 2019 that a conference has been held in Scotland in addition to the conference in London.

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For more information or comment please contact the Press Office on (+44) 208 904 0222  or (+44) 7958 522196 or email media@ihrc.org

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IHRC is an NGO in Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations.

Islamic Human Rights Commission

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HA9 7XH

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Telephone (+44) 20 8904 4222

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