Government & Politics

EU watchdog opens investigation into border agency Frontex Organization faces allegations of harassment, misconduct and migrant pushbacks.

(Politico) The EU’s anti-fraud watchdog, OLAF, has opened an investigation into Frontex, the bloc’s border agency, over allegations of harassment, misconduct and migrant pushbacks, according to four EU officials. OLAF investigators have been interviewing members of the Warsaw-based agency “since the start […]

Government & Politics

Morocco slams Belgian minister for accusations of mosque infiltration Morocco’s representative in Belgium calls on the Belgian minister to avoid 'baseless' accusations that can lead to needless tensions with a strategic ally.

(Morocco World News) Morocco has responded to the Belgian Minister of Justice Vincent Van [Quickenborne] after he accused Moroccan intelligence of mosque infiltration. Van Quickenborne, who claimed that Morocco had infiltrated the mosque in Cinquantenaire park in Brussels, described the mosque’s director […]

Children & Teens

Trump signs anti-female genital mutilation law that increases punishment of perpetrators The new law says female genital mutilation is 'a form of child abuse, gender discrimination and violence'

(Fox) A new law that its backers called a pivotal step in protecting vulnerable young women and girls across the United States from the “barbaric and medically unnecessary procedure” of female genital mutilation was signed into law by President Trump on [Tuesday]. […]

Clerics & Preachers

Austria calls for European register of Muslim imams Austria has already adopted an obligatory imam registry among other measures aimed at reducing terrorism after a November terror attack in Vienna.

(Deutsche Welle) Since the start of 2021, Austria has required the registration of all imams in the country. The mandate was one of several new measures Chancellor Sebastian Kurz’s government adopted after a November 2 terror attack in Vienna. Four civilians were […]

Government & Politics

US Muslim group decries Trump’s pardon of contractors It ‘is an unconscionable act of moral insanity,' says CAIR's head about Blackwater contractors

(Anadolu) The US’s largest Muslim civil rights organization on Wednesday condemned President Donald Trump’s decision to grant clemency to four former Blackwater contractors convicted of killing Iraqi civilians. National executive director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Nihad Awad said the […]

Children & Teens

Ohisalo: Repatriated al-Hol families ‘strongly in hands of authorities’ The interior minister says she understands people’s concerns, but she trusts both the social and security authorities.

(Yle) Interior Minister Maria Ohisalo (Green) said she understands that the repatriation of mothers and their children from the al-Hol displacement camp in Syria may raise concerns for people, but she emphasised that security will be ensured through strong cooperation between Finland’s […]

Children & Teens

Foreign Ministry: Swift repatriation lowers risk of radicalisation Finland says it will continue working to bring home Finnish citizens still living in a Syrian detention camp.

(Yle) The Foreign Ministry on Sunday evacuated six Finnish children and two mothers from the al-Hol displacement camp. However, some 15 kids and five mothers still remain interned in the camp housing women and children captured after the collapse of the Islamic […]

Children & Teens

Germany brings home ‘Islamic State’ brides, children from Syrian camps Humanitarian reasons have been cited for flying home several 'IS' brides and children from internment in Syria. At the height of the civil war, the women allegedly traveled to join the Islamist militia.

(Deutsche Welle) German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Sunday said he was “relieved” that a “humanitarian” recovery operation had brought home 18 children and five “Islamic State” (IS) brides from Kurdish-run internment camps in northeastern Syria. One of three German women brought back, identified in reports as […]

Government & Politics

Progressive groups push Biden to tap accused Iranian lobbyist for top national-security role As an Iranian national, Trita Parsi probably cannot get security clearance, say experts

(Free Beacon) A coalition of progressive foreign-policy groups is pressing President-elect Joe Biden to hire an Iranian national accused of lobbying for the Islamist regime for a senior administration role that a non-U.S. citizen would likely be ineligible to hold. As Biden […]

Government & Politics

Austria drops ‘political Islam’ from controversial bill Gov't replaces contentious phrase with 'religiously-motivated extremism' in revised terrorism draft law

(Anadolu) Austria’s coalition government on Wednesday revised its controversial “anti-terror” law, using the phrase “religiously motivated extremism” instead of “political Islam.” Following a cabinet meeting, Interior Minister Karl Nehammer, Justice Minister Alma Zadic and Integration Minister Susanne Raab announced a package of […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Congress members demand Facebook take steps to ‘eradicate’ anti-Muslim bias Lawmakers issue a list of demands for Facebook, including creating a working group that addresses anti-Muslim bigotry and hate groups

(Middle East Eye) A group of 30 Democratic members of Congress on Tuesday sent a letter to Facebook criticising the social media giant for allowing anti-Muslim sentiments to spread on its platform, and are demanding it takes concrete steps to “eradicate anti-Muslim […]

Government & Politics

US elections 2020: Muslims in state of Georgia mobilise for Senate runoff As early voting begins, the contest will have implications on issues of Islamophobia, police reform and systemic racism across US

(Middle East Eye) Ahead of the consequential US Senate race in Georgia next month, Muslim organisers and community members in the state are coming together to mobilise Muslims to vote for the upcoming election, which will decide which political party will have […]

Government & Politics

Omar, Tlaib, Sarsour to headline Georgia Senate event as Warnock fights anti-Semitism claims CAIR-Georgia sponsors virtual 'vote-a-thon' to boost Muslim turnout in runoff election

(Washington Times) Democrat Raphael Warnock was already struggling to beat back allegations of anti-Semitism, and then Linda Sarsour and Reps. Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib jumped into the Georgia Senate election picture. The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations [CAIR] […]