Cage

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

UK government urged to overhaul Prevent and counter-extremism policies Letter from civil society groups also calls on Labour to suspend Michael Gove's proposed definition of extremism

September 23, 2024   

(Middle East Eye) A coalition of leading civil society organisations has urged the UK Labour government to overhaul counter-extremism policies including the controversial Prevent programme, Middle East Eye can exclusively report. In a letter sent to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, the organisations also […]

Clerics & Preachers

Over 400 UK imams reject new extremism definition targeting Muslim groups Religious scholars accuse government of 'divisive tactics' and attempting to crack down on groups opposed to Israeli actions against Palestinians

March 22, 2024   

(Middle East Eye) Over 400 British imams and religious scholars have signed a letter rejecting a new UK government definition of extremism that targeted several British Muslim organisations. Last week, Communities Secretary Michael Gove announced a contentious new definition of extremism, though the […]

Government & Politics

Groups accused of ‘extremism’ hit back at Michael Gove and say re-assessment ‘will motivate us’ The communities secretary named five organisations that will be re-assessed against the government's new definition of extremism — and one has now threatened legal action.

March 14, 2024   

(Sky News) Two groups set to be re-assessed under the government’s new definition of extremism have hit back at Michael Gove — with one saying the minister’s latest move will only bolster their organisation. Speaking in the Commons on Thursday, the communities […]

Government & Politics

Michael Gove names far-right and Islamist groups which could fall under fresh extremism definition The communities secretary insisted the government has no intention of restricting 'freedom of expression, religion or belief,' as critics warned the new definition could have a 'chilling effect' on free speech.

March 14, 2024   

(Sky News) Michael Gove has named five groups that will be re-assessed as a result of the government’s new definition of extremism. Speaking in the Commons, the communities secretary said two far-right organisations — the British National Socialist Movement and the Patriotic […]

Government & Politics

Government’s new extremism definition will ‘vilify the wrong people,’ warn Muslim organisations Groups say the new definition 'signals an attack on civil liberties by attacking law-abiding individuals and groups that oppose government policy' by labelling them as 'extremist.'

March 13, 2024   

(Sky News) The government’s proposal to redefine extremism will “vilify the wrong people” and “risk more division,” according to a coalition of Muslim organisations. Signatories include groups which fear they may fall under the new definition announced as part of the government’s […]

Law Enforcement

Cage director banned from entering Switzerland to address meeting at UN Muhammad Rabbani held overnight after being stopped at Geneva Airport in latest incident which he says is a consequence of France adding his name to a European no-entry database

December 13, 2023   

(Middle East Eye) Border authorities in Switzerland have stopped the director of a UK-based human rights group from entering the country to address a meeting at the United Nations office in Geneva “after a request from France.” Posting on social media on […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Muslims ‘unjustly placed on blacklists’ across Europe, rights groups warn Muslim leaders urge European governments to take action against Islamophobia in Europe at security and human rights conference in Poland

October 6, 2023   

(Middle East Eye) Muslim civil society groups from Europe warned of the growing level of Islamophobia spreading across the continent at a major security and human rights conference in Poland. On Thursday, seven Muslim groups from Austria, France, Sweden, Spain, and the […]

Government & Politics

Cage director accuses France after being refused entry to Poland Muhammad Rabbani, who has accused the French government of Islamophobia, says border officers at Warsaw airport told him France had placed him on an EU no-entry list

October 3, 2023   

(Middle East Eye) The director of the UK-based advocacy group Cage has accused the French government of placing him on a European no-entry list after he was refused entry to Poland to attend a high-profile security conference in Warsaw. Border officers at […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

Cage director Muhammad Rabbani banned from France as a ‘threat to public order’ Campaign group leader held for 24 hours before being sent back to London

July 17, 2023   

(National-UAE) France has banned the director of campaign group Cage from entering the country and accused him of spreading conspiracy theories about “Islamophobic persecution.” Muhammad Rabbani arrived in Paris last Tuesday but was detained for 24 hours before being sent back to […]

Context

CAGE accused of ‘excusing deliberate murder and inciting hate’ in Dee family tweets Controversial Muslim advocacy group appears to blame family of the two British-Israeli sisters Maia and Rina Dee for their murder in the West Bank

April 11, 2023   

(Jewish News) Controversial Muslim advocacy group CAGE has been accused of “excusing deliberate murder and inciting hatred” in a social media response to the killing of the two British-Israeli sisters Maia and Rina Dee. In an inflammatory Twitter thread posted on the […]

Government & Politics

Prevent review: Shawcross reforms risk ‘slide into authoritarianism,’ critics warn Coalition of civil society organisations, community leaders and rights groups urge the British government to withdraw Shawcross report

March 21, 2023 and   

(Middle East Eye) The UK is facing a “slide into dangerous authoritarianism” if the government proceeds with the recommendations of a contentious review of Prevent, critics of the counter-terrorism strategy have warned. In a joint letter issued on Tuesday, a coalition of […]

Academics & Education

Home Office accuses UK Muslim student group of acting ‘dangerously and irresponsibly’ Federation of Student Islamic Societies plans to host anti-counter-extremism university tour

November 18, 2022   

(National-UAE) A British Muslim student group has been accused of acting “dangerously and irresponsibly” by the government for hosting an anti-counter-extremism university tour. The Federation of Student Islamic Societies (Fosis) is hosting a tour of seven universities, including three Russell Group institutions, […]

Children & Teens

European governments accused over ‘suppression of Muslim civil society’ OSCE conference in Poland hears plea for member states to protect Muslim citizens from Islamophobia and 'state racism'

September 29, 2022   

(Middle East Eye) Muslim civil society organisations have raised the alarm about a rising tide of state-sponsored Islamophobia in Europe at a major security and human rights conference in Poland. France, Denmark and Austria were among countries singled out over policies which […]

Discrimination & “Islamophobia”

UK’s charity regulator urged to investigate Policy Exchange over ‘anti-Muslim agenda’ Complaint to Charity Commission accuses think tank of Islamophobia over report in which David Cameron said Muslim critics of Prevent were 'enabling terrorism'

May 11, 2022   

(Middle East Eye) The UK’s charities regulator is being urged to investigate the Policy Exchange think tank for alleged racism and Islamophobia, over a report in which it accused Muslim critics of the government’s Prevent strategy of “enabling terrorism.” In a letter […]

Government & Politics

French government calls UK advocacy group Cage ‘Islamist militants’ Anti-radicalisation body accuses organisation of supporting terrorists and seeking to smear France

April 28, 2022   

(National-UAE) UK advocacy group Cage, which has a focus on Muslim detainees, has been labelled “Islamist militants” by the French government’s anti-radicalisation body. The Interministerial Committee for the Prevention of Delinquency and Radicalisation has published nine tweets accusing Cage, founded by former […]

Demonstrations

‘War on terror’: US protesters urge release for Pakistani woman Aafia Siddiqui Protesters call for the release of the Pakistani neurosurgeon serving 86 years in prison for the attempted murder of US officials

October 20, 2021   

(Middle East Eye) Dozens of protesters stood outside Pakistan’s consulate in New York City on Wednesday, calling for the release of Aafia Siddiqui, a Pakistani woman who is currently serving 86 years in prison in what civil liberties groups and activists say was […]

Interfaith

Chief executive of MEND wrote: ‘Israel’s generosity is like that of Hitler’ Exclusive: Azhar Qayum, head of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), tells Jewish News his incendiary comment on Facebook from 2014 was 'not meant as an insult to any people.'

August 16, 2021   

(Jewish News) The chief executive of Islamic advocacy group Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) wrote that “Israel’s generosity is like the ‘generosity’ of Hitler” in an incendiary social media post. Azhar Qayum made the claim during a heated online debate sparked by […]

Government & Politics

‘End Prevent’: UK government faces new calls to drop counter-terrorism strategy Academics and activists call for 'alternative approach' as government's own promised review of contentious programme remains stalled

January 17, 2020   

(Middle East Eye) The British government is facing fresh calls to abolish its Prevent strategy amid uncertainty over the future of its own suspended review of the contentious counter-terrorism programme. More than 100 academics, activists and public figures opposed to the strategy […]