Indian Muslims for Secular Democracy (IMSD) issued a statement dismissing the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB). On November 21, around 200 members of AIMPLB gathered in a 2-day convention in Kanpur, a city in Uttar Pradesh, India.
On Thursday, November 11, Indonesia's National Ulema Council (MUI) declared that cryptocurrency is haram or forbidden. Asrorun Niam Sholeh, the MUI's head of religious decrees, explained that cryptocurrencies constitute uncertainties in their use and behave like wagering.
On Sunday, November 21, the Taliban issued a guideline to broadcasters prohibiting women from appearing in television soap operas and entertainment shows. It also requires female journalists and news presenters to wear headscarves. The latest guideline from the oppressive Islamic regime adds to the rapidly deteriorating women’s rights condition in Afghanistan.
On November 18th, the Nozha Misdemeanors Court of Egypt sentenced Ahmed Abdo Maher to five years in prison. The sentence stated that Maher is guilty of "contempt of Islam, stirring up sectarian strife and posing a threat to the national unity."
On November 9, Iran’s parliament confirmed receiving a bill that will criminalize owning pets, especially animals deemed “unclean” by Islamic law. The bill on the “protection of public rights against dangerous and harmful animals” was drafted by 75 conservative members of Iran’s parliament. The bill aims to amend the Islamic Penal Code to include the importation, sale, and keeping of various animals.
Atheist Republic celebrates the recent release of Iranian atheist activist and blogger Soheil Arabi from prison! While Soheil is still facing legal hurdles before he can be truly freed from the stranglehold of the Islamic Republic of Iran, his recent release is a massive victory and relief for Iranian atheists and their allies.
On Friday evening, November 12, San Francisco Police Department responded to a call from the Islamic Center of San Francisco. According to the police report, members of the mosque were inside when they heard sounds of glasses being shattered.
The Council of Europe (COE) pulled out ads for a campaign aimed at countering discrimination against European Muslim women who chose to wear head coverings. The Council of Europe is an inter-governmental human rights group with 47 member states. CoE also took down its Twitter post related to the campaign.
On Monday, November 8, Pakistan announced that it had lifted the ban on the radical Islamist party Tehreek-e-Labiak Pakistan (TLP) after causing violent protests that lasted days, leaving six police officers and four demonstrators dead.
On Friday, November 5, a gathering of right-wing Hindu groups barred entry to a public ground in the Sector 12 area of Gurugram, a place frequented by Muslims for prayers. Guragram, still popularly referred to as Gurgaon by locals, is a satellite city outside New Delhi, India.
