CAIRO – A galaxy of politicians, university professors and Muslim leaders have sent an open letter with urgent call to repeal the Prevent legislation as demonizing Muslims and damaging the fabric of the British society.
“We, the undersigned, welcome the call for an independent review into Prevent made by the Independent Reviewer of the UK’s anti-terrorism laws, David Anderson QC, last week,” the letter, signed by more than 375 activists, was published on The Guardian.
Working under the banner of UK’s terror watchdog, Anderson’s testimony came in his written submission to the home affairs select committee inquiry into the government’s counter-terrorism strategy.
He raised concern that elements of Prevent were “ineffective or being applied in an insensitive or discriminatory manner”.
The signatories blamed the controversial legislation for undermining ethos for mutual understanding in the community.
“As a wide cross-section of Muslim community activists, academics, lawyers and politicians warned, the duty has in practice charged teachers, doctors and other professionals with monitoring people’s religious and political views,” the letter reads.
“This is undermining the very ethos and relationships of mutual trust and openness that are fundamental to education and our public services while endangering other legal rights and protections. It is eroding civil liberties and deepening discrimination against Muslims.”
Furthermore, they warned the anti-terror legislation led to the increase of hate attacks targeting the Muslim community by 70 percent, according to the Metropolitan police.
“We must recognize that government counter-terrorism policies like Prevent are helping to create this climate of hostility, sowing fear, division, mistrust and prejudice by reinforcing racist stereotypes, stigmatizing Muslim communities and in effect encouraging ethnic profiling,” .
“Despite the fact that Muslims make up just 5% of the population, data from the National Police Chiefs Council shows that 67% of those referred for suspected “radicalization” between 2007-2010 were Muslim, the figure was 56% between 2012-13.”
The signatories included Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, Green Party member of the London Assembly; Prof Arun Kundnani in New York University; Dr Douglas Chalmers, President UCU Scotland; and Malia Bouattia, NUS Black Students’ Officer, Students Not Suspects.
Omar Barghouti, Palestine Human Rights Advocate; Yusuf Hassan, Vice President Student Affairs FOSIS; and Professor John L Esposito, university professor & founding director of the Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University.
Prevent, part of the government’s overall counter-terrorism strategy, Contest, is meant to help police and security agencies identify individuals and groups at risk of radicalization.
Britain’s 2.7 million Muslims have taken full brunt of anti-terror laws since the 7/7 attacks in 2005.
They have repeatedly complained of maltreatment by police for no apparent reason other than being Muslim.
Under the controversial legislation, phone and internet companies will be required to maintain records of customer’s internet, email and mobile phone activity for 12 months, without intruding calls or messages.