But while there may be no official remembrance activities, there are many whose lives and passion for democracy and freedom are living memorials to the July 7 victims, and whose efforts represent a new hope for the United Kingdom in the struggle of ideas.
We have been seeing increasing signs of hope and progress among British Muslims who are taking the lead in supporting secular democracy and human rights as a counter-message to extremists who seek to deny democracy and human rights. While some analysts believe that fighting terrorism can be measured by tactical achievements or failures, Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) believes that solutions will come from a consistent support for democracy and our universal human rights from the public, including British Muslim and pro-human rights groups in the struggle of ideas.
While groups such as Anjem Choudary’s Islam4UK and the Hizb ut-Tahrir United Kingdom groups denounce democracy and equality, and on the other extreme, groups such as the English Defence League and the Stop Islamisation of Europe groups are protesting Muslim houses of worship, there are alternatives from those such as the BMSD and its supporters who provide an example in consistent support of democracy, human rights, and human dignity for rest of the United Kingdom and the world.
We urge others in the United Kingdom to follow the example of groups such as BMSD and choose to consistently be responsible for equality and liberty.
Muslims for Progressive Values (MPV) DC chapter activist Fatima Thompson Leads Saudi Arabia Protest in Washington DC - June 26, 2010
A Canadian woman, Nathalie Morin, has been held against her will in Saudi Arabia, by her common-law husband since 2005. Nathalie Morin has been a victim of conjugal violence, confinement and abuse, and activist had photographs of the abuse of Nathalie Morin and her children. The Canadian National Post reported on the plight of Nathalie Morin and the efforts of Canadian political leaders in seeking to help her in a report: “Help sought for Canadian family in Saudi Arabia.” According to the National Post, Nathalie Morin’s common-law husband Samir Said Ramthi Al Bishi, “met with Canadian officials in Saudi Arabia on Sept. 22, at which time he demanded $300,000 in exchange for the release of Ms. Morin and the children.”
Nathalie Morin, shown here with her eldest son, Samir (now nearly seven years old), says she has been trying to return to Canada for 2½ years. (Family photo)
At the June 26, 2010 protest, Muslim women and men, as well as other human rights activists, condemned the mistreatment of Nathalie Morin demanding that she and her children, and other similarly detained were allowed to return to their home countries for safety. The MPV protest statement sought to “declare to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Government that Americans are demanding Nathalie Morin and her children, as well as any foreign nationals held captive, be returned to their countries immediately, that they respect the human rights of women and children and ensure the safety of Nathalie Morin and the safety of her children.”
June 26, 2010: Protest at Saudi Arabian Embassy Calls for Release of Nathalie Morin and Respect for Women's Rights
The leader of the protest, Fatima Thompson spoke to television media on the subject, and a Saudi woman gave an interview on the story in Arabic. When additional reports are available, this blog posting will be updated.
Protesters marched around the Saudi Arabian Embassy and chanted “Free Nathalie Morin,” “No Guardian for Mature Women,” “End Gender Apartheid,” and “Saudi Arabia Keep Your Promises.”
Protesters at June 26, 2010 Call for Women's Rights Outside Saudi Arabian EmbassyProtesters Marching Outside Saudi Arabian Embassy
Protesters were showing their signs and chanting to individuals entering the Saudi embassy. One Saudi Arabian embassy employee came out with a camera to take the photographs of the protesters.
Protesters Marching Outside Saudi Arabia Embassy
Protesters also showed their signs to drivers going past the area, near the John F. Kennedy Center. Some drivers saw the protesters and stopped to give a “thumbs up” in support of their efforts.
Message on Guardianship Program
Several Muslim men came and joined the protest at the Saudi Arabian embassy, and marched together with Muslim women and rights activists in support of Nathalie Morin and women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.
Muslim Women and Men Protesting Together for Women's Rights - June 26, 2010 Protest Outside Saudi Arabian Embassy
One man joined the protest whose family came from an African nation as workers and had lived in Saudi Arabia for two generations without gaining citizenship.
Protester Outside Saudi Embassy
Fatima Thompson was speaking to Muslim men on the plight of Saudi women as they passed by the protest group, seeking their support for women’s rights.
Protest Leader Fatima Thompson Speaks with Muslim Men on Women's Issues
Update: June 28 – 9 PM – The Gulf Institute has changed the time of their event on June 29 White House and moved it also to 12 Noon as well. I am certain we will coordinate efforts.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.)'s Jeffrey Imm at June 26, 2010 Saudi Arabia Embassy Protest for Women's Rights
PROTEST
Saturday June 26th, 2010, 1:30 pm in front of the Embassy of Saudi Arabia
601 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20037
To denounce the confinement of Nathalie Morin and her children, and foreign nationals, in Saudi Arabia
Canadian, Nathalie Morin who is 26 years old, along with her three small children, has been held against her will in Saudi Arabia by her common-law husband since 2005. A victim of conjugal violence, confinement and abuse, Nathalie must return to Canada with her children. But in Saudi Arabia a woman must have the authorization of her male guardian to leave the territory and her aggressor will not allow this.
Gender apartheid and the male guardianship system of Saudi Arabia is a violation of women’s human rights and international law. As long as the U.S. and Saudi governments consider Nathalie and her children’s case a private affair, they will not deploy all efforts to ensure their safety and bring them home to Canada. During this time, Nathalie’s condition continues to deteriorate as the abuse worsens.
On June 26th and 27th, representatives of the Saudi government will participate in the G-20 summit in Toronto to discuss the economy. In June 2009 Obama stated in his speech in Cairo: «But I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn’t steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose.
These are not just American ideas; they are human rights. And that is why we will support them everywhere.» We call on President Obama to defend human rights by demanding that any foreign nationals held captive in Saudi Arabia be allowed to exit the country.
This protest is to declare to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the U.S. Government that Americans are demanding Nathalie Morin and her children, as well as any foreign nationals held captive, be returned to their countries immediately, that they respect the human rights of women and children and ensure the safety of Nathalie Morin and the safety of her children.
Location: 601 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20037
We will not abandon Nathalie and her children to an undeserved fate
al-Masry al-Youm is reporting on the death of a young Alexandrian man who was reportedly beaten to death by Egyptian police. Supporters of his concerned about human rights have created a Facebook page on this topic.
— “Khaled Said, a 28-year-old Alexandrian man was beaten up to death by two policemen as he refused to give them money, a human rights group said on 10 June.”
— “‘On Sunday, Khaled was at cyber cafe at around 11:30 in the evening. Two policemen asked him for money and when he said he didn’t have, they beat him,’ Muhammad Abdel Aziz, lawyer with el-Nadeem, told al-Masry al-Youm. ‘As he was beaten up, his head hit a marble table and he started bleeding.'”
— “According to Abdel Aziz, the policemen took Said out of the cyber cafe and continued to beat him. ‘He screamed at them saying ‘I am dying, leave me’, and he fell on the floor.'”
— …”The police has ordered an autopsy of Said’s body.”
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) National Media Council has decided that the new movie “Sex and the City 2” will be banned from being shown in UAE cinemas. The movie is scheduled to be released on May 27, 2010.
A senior spokesman for the UAE National Media Council told Time Out Dubai that: “Sex and the City 2 will be banned from being shown in cinemas across the UAE when it is released for various reasons. Among them are that the film’s website stated that filming was done in Abu Dhabi even though they were denied permission to do so and that they continue to attribute the locations shot in Morocco as being in Abu Dhabi, which is false, as the theme of the film does not fit with our cultural values. Also, they persisted in using Abu Dhabi’s name in the movie despite the fact that no official permission was given to them to do so.”
Promotional Still for "Sex and the City 2" (Photo: Warner Bros)
The UAE National Media Council is responsible for judging movies to be shown in the UAE, as well as censoring films. The UAE National Media Council censorship board has approved showing of films such as “The Da Vinci Code,” however.
The writer and director of the movie, Michael Patrick King, told Collider.com that the reason for choosing UAE and its city Abu Dhabi for the movie setting was because “it’s the new Middle East and the future… I think there’s a very big story in the Middle East and it also is a very advanced, glamorous capital.”
While the movie was being banned in its “setting,” the UAE — in Hollywood, it was being described as an “anti-Muslim” movie, by the Hollywood Reporter. The Hollywood Reporter’s review of the movie stated that “[Carrie] and her friends run up against the puritanical and misogynistic culture of the Middle East… The rather scathing portrayal of Muslim society no doubt will stir controversy, especially in a frothy summer entertainment, but there’s something bracing about the film’s saucy political incorrectness. Or is it politically correct? SATC 2 is at once proudly feminist and blatantly anti-Muslim, which means that it might confound liberal viewers.”
Others reviewers have also been critical of the movie regarding women and Islam. USA Today’s Claudia Ping states that “director Michael Patrick King is out of his league attempting to comment on the inequitable treatment of Muslim women,” Roger Ebert criticizes the movie for being “oblivious to Arab ideas about women’s modesty,” and another reviewer states that “‘Sex and the Ctiy 2’ script insults Muslim culture.”
The movie is being released as yet another high-profile UAE prosecution of a woman for alleged sexual “crimes” is in the news. The latest in a long series of UAE oppressive criminal prosecutions is the arrest of an 18 year old girl, who stated that she was a gang rape victim. The Muslim girl “LH” was then charged with the crime of “consensual sex,” which carries a sentence of lashes and up to life imprisonment for a Muslim girl. “LH” has since retracted her rape charges and the UAE government prosecution is considering whether to continue to prosecute her for the crime of “consensual sex,” or reduce the criminal charge to “deception” which carries a prison sentence of 6 months to two years.
Responsible for Equality And Liberty (R.E.A.L.) stands for women’s rights without borders, and in unequivocal support of women’s universal human rights and dignity. We challenge those who would oppress and attack women to realize that when half of the world is denied basic human rights, such an outrage is an attack on human rights for all people everywhere.
We urge all people to be responsible for equality and liberty.
