You must be nicer to Muslims, Britain is told by UN human rights chiefs - News - Evening Standard
       

You must be nicer to Muslims, Britain is told by UN human rights chiefs

Britain was told yesterday by a United Nations committee to take firm action to combat 'negative public attitudes' towards Muslims. 

The nine-member human rights committee also criticised some of the UK's antiterror measures. 

The body, which is composed of legal experts, said it was concerned ' negative public attitudes towards Muslim members of society' continued to develop in Britain. 

Be nice: Britain has been told to take firm action and combat negative public attitudes towards Muslims

Be nice: Britain has been told to take firm action and combat negative public attitudes towards Muslims


The Government 'should take energetic measures to eliminate this phenomenon and ensure that authors of such acts of discrimination on the basis of religion are adequately deterred and sanctioned'.

The committee expressed concern over the Government's plans to extend pre-trial detention of terrorist suspects from 28 to 42 days. Suspects should be brought to court 'within a reasonable period of time, or released'.

Those suspected of being involved in terrorism and subject to control orders and curfews limiting their movements should be 'promptly charged with a criminal offence' and their lawyers given access to the evidence against them, it added. 

The committee also called on the Irish Republic to open up its largely Roman Catholic primary school system to secular-education. It said Dublin 'should take measures to help women avoid unwanted pregnancies so that they do not have to resort to illegal or unsafe abortions'. 

The committee made its comments in response to reports from the UK and Ireland on how they were carrying out their obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. 

The committee has members from Britain, Ireland, Australia, Benin, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, Mauritius and Sweden. They are expected to be independent of their governments.

Comments

Don't Miss
Dog save the Queen: Corgis surge in popularity

Dog save the Queen

Corgis surge in popularity
London gets ready for the Diamond Jubilee - in pictures

Diamond Jubilee

London gets ready - in pictures
'He’s a better ex than he was a husband', says Boris Johnson's ex wife

A better ex than husband

We talk to Boris Johnson's ex wife
TV Baftas - in pictures

Best of the Baftas

Stars on the red, white and blue carpet
You big softie: Has Giles Coren put down his poison pen?

You big softie

Has Giles Coren put down his poison pen?
Pop star Paloma Faith, former Labour minister and Tory blogger back gay marriage video

Gay marriage

Pop star, former Labour minister and Tory blogger back gay marriage video
Promethipedia: the lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus

Promethipedia

The lowdown on Ridley Scott's new blockbuster Prometheus
Prints charming: patterned trousers for summer

Prints charming

Patterned trousers for summer
Bob Geldof on grandchildren, activism and the state of music

Grandpa Bob

Bob Geldof on grandchildren, activism and the state of music
The Middletan: Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London

The Middletan

Kate Middleton has the most requested tan in London