Thursday, November 28, 2013

Zhalim

Egyptian women jailed for years over protests

Group of 14 women, including minors, face 11 years in jail for rally, as interim PM defends state response to protests.

Gregg Carlstrom Last updated: 27 Nov 2013 19:15

The women handed out flyers and formed a human chain [AP]

Cairo — A group of women have been jailed for 11 years for a peaceful protest in Alexandria, as Egypt's interim prime minister gave a strong defence of a law further restricting public demonstrations.
The women, supporters of the deposed president Mohamed Morsi, received 11-year jail sentences on Wednesday for forming a human chain and passing out flyers earlier this month. Seven minors among the group were remanded to juvenile detention until they reach legal age. The youngest in the group is 15 years old.
Six men, described by prosecutors as Muslim Brotherhood leaders, were sentenced to 15-year terms, accused of being members of a "terrorist organisation".
In a news conference also on Wednesday, Hazem el-Beblawi, the interim prime minister, defended a new law requires which citizens to apply for permission before marching as a "necessary step".
“The cabinet confirms that it will apply the law fully to show its support for the police in the face of terrorism. The law is subject to change, but through the proper channels.”
Protests approved
Protesters opposed to both Morsi and the interim army-backed government meanwhile gathered in downtown Cairo for a rally against the law.
Unexpectedly, the interior ministry announced that it had approved the march, even though organisers denied applying for a permit.
The ministry said the application was submitted by the father of Salah Ahmed Mohamed, known as “Jika”, the first protester killed during deposed Morsi’s tenure.
Wednesday’s rally was only announced in the morning, giving far less than the required period of notice.
The backlash against the law is the latest criticism of Beblawi’s increasingly unpopular government. Even some supporters think it went too far in restricting personal freedoms: Leaders of Tamarod, the petition campaign that organised the protests that preceded Morsi’s ouster, have criticised the law as too harsh, and several were arrested while protesting against it on Tuesday in the southern city of Aswan.
“They had one party against them already, the Muslim Brotherhood,” said Magdi Hussein, a campaigner from Tamarod who attended Tuesday’s protest. “I don’t know why they passed this law. It will turn another group against them.”

Angola denies????

Angola denies it has banned Islam

Government statement says there is "no war" against religion following allegations authorities had destroyed mosques.

Last updated: 27 Nov 2013 14:04

Angola's oil boom has attracted large west and north African Muslim expatriates [EPA]

Angola's government has denied it had banned Islam and closed mosques in the country, after media speculation that sparked outrage among Muslims worldwide.
"There is no war in Angola against Islam or any other religion," said Manuel Fernando, director of the National Institute for Religious Affairs, part of the ministry of culture, onTuesday.
"There is no official position that targets the destruction or closure of places of worship, whichever they are." Fernando told AFP news agency.
David Ja, a spokesman for local Muslims, challenged the government's account and said that a number of mosques had already been closed.
But according to the ministry of culture, those closures were related to a lack of necessary land titles, building licenses or other official documents.
A witness in the province of Uige (Carmona) told Al Jazeera that the closed mosques were hastility built by expatriate communities from west and north Africa who needed a place to perform Friday prayers.
“It’s true that several mosques have been destroyed and others simply shut down in the last few months. Most of the mosques that were destroyed were built without government permission. Two authorised mosques in Luanda are still operating without a problem. I have not heard of any official decision to ban Islam or prohibit Muslim prayers in mosques.” Ahmed ould Taher told Al Jazeera.
Worldwide media coverage
Reports that Angola, a traditionally devout Catholic nation, would crack down on Muslims had drawn condemnation from the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and others.
In Egypt, mufti Shawqi Allam said such a move would be "a provocation not only to Angolan Muslims but to more than 1.5 billion Muslims all over the world".
The issue, which was first reported late last week, attracted huge media coverage worldwide and generated strong reactions on social media.
The controversy was further fueled by the government's poor communication on the issue.
The oil-rich southern African nation has a population of about 18 million people, several hundred thousand of whom are Muslims.
Religious organisations are required to apply for accreditation in Angola, which currently recognises 83, all of them Christian.
In October the justice ministry rejected the applications of 194 organisations, including one from an umbrella Islamic community group.
Angola's oil boom has attracted large expatriate communities from across the world