The Arabist

The Arabist

By Issandr El Amrani and friends.

Regarding death threats to "infidels"

Why aren't people who issue death threats not more frequently taken to court? From the EOHR:

EOHR is very concerned about the aggressive campaign being waged against Dr. Souad Saleh, a professor of Islamic jurisprudence at the Azhar University, following her publicly stating her opinion on the Niquab (the Islamic full body veil), saying it is not compulsory in Islam. Her statement angered many fundamentalists, some of whom have called for the "shedding of her blood".

Saleh, a former dean at Azhar University, stated her opinion in late October 2006 on a television programme called "Amma Yatasa'loon" ("What are they asking about?"), aired on the channel Dream TV. Saleh stated that the Niquab is not compulsory for Muslim women, and she supported her point by citing the Prophet and Islamic customs.
Also:

EOHR is deeply worried about the increasing tendency to accuse individuals of being "infidels", and the accompanying calls to "shed the blood" of such individuals, when they express critical views, whether ideological or political.

Accordingly, EOHR denounces the calls by Member of Parliament Ali Laban for the execution of the prime minister, the endowment minister and the investment minister, on the charges of "attacking Islam openly", which came as a reaction to their issuing an administrative decision to demolish a mosque and privatize a public company.