One Law for All Campaign against Sharia Law in Britain was established on December 10, 2008 – International Human Rights Day – in order to mobilise opposition to Sharia and all religious based tribunals and defend universal and citizenship rights.
12,000 signatures and a successful March rally and meeting
In the short time it has been established, we’ve gathered over 12,000 signatories to our petition calling for a ban on religious tribunals and organised a successful demonstration and public meeting to mark International Women’s Day in March in London.
A free legal and informational helpline
We have also set up a free legal and informational helpline for those who have been denied their rights by Sharia councils and all religious tribunals. Trained volunteers will provide callers with information and referrals to pro bono lawyers. The helpline is being managed by our Legal Coordinator, Yassi Molazadeh. You can contact her at ymolazadeh@hotmail.com if you would like to volunteer to staff our helpline or provide pro bono legal advice. The number of the Advice Helpline is 0800 228 9897; lines will be open daily from 9am to 10pm.
A speaking tour in Canada and elsewhere
Moreover, we have spoken at an international conference on secularism in Paris, France and completed a speaking tour across Canada.
During the last two weeks of March, Spokesperson Maryam Namazie and Outreach Coordinator Goranka Gudelj travelled to Toronto, Vancouver and Victoria and spoke with hundreds of people to network and broaden support for the One Law for All Campaign. The visit was significant because of the success of a similar campaign against Sharia law in Ontario province in Canada, which Maryam was also involved in. Her visit was covered by Canadian media, including: http://www.nationalpost.com/opinion/story.html?id=1379415
Whilst in Toronto, Maryam participated in a panel discussion with Tarek Fatah (Founder of Muslim Canadian Congress and Author of “Chasing a Mirage”: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State”, Justin Trottier (Executive Director of Center for Inquiry, Ontario) and Issam Shukri (Head of the Organization for the Defence of Secularism and Civil Rights in Iraq), and spoke at an event sponsored by the Centre for Inquiry. She also spoke at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and the University of Victoria and at a fundraising dinner with Victoria’s atheist, secularist and humanist group. To see footage of the panel discussion and speeches in Canada, see: http://onelawforall.org.uk/category/video/
Maryam and Goranka also met with a number of personalities involved in the Campaign against Sharia Courts in Canada, including Farzana Hassan and Hassan Mahmoud of the Muslim Canadian Congress. Farzana Hassan has agreed to act as a Canadian spokesperson for the One Law for All Campaign against Sharia Law in Britain.
Mobilising support for November 20 mass rally
In the coming months we plan to go across the country to raise opposition to Sharia and religious tribunals and mobilise support for our next big mass rally in London on November 20, Universal Children’s Day. To find out where we will be next, see: http://onelawforall.org.uk/category/events/. And if you want to organise a public meeting in your area, please feel free to contact Outreach Coordinator Goranka Gudelj at olfa_enquiries@yahoo.co.uk to arrange it.
Raising funds
We urgently need money to do all that still needs to be done to get rid of Sharia and religious tribunals in Britain. Every bit helps so please do take the time to send us a cheque made payable to One Law for All or by donating via our paypal account by visiting http://onelawforall.org.uk/donate/
For more information, visit www.onelawforall.org.uk or contact:
BM Box 2387
London WC1N 3XX, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 7719166731
onelawforall@gmail.com
Thanks again for your support.
It can and will make a difference!