The Islamic Observatory Centre, in its own words

The Islamic Observatory Centre, led by Dr. Yasser Al-Siri, has been committed to raising awareness to the cases of Islamist prisoners in the world, many of which are not given any attention in the international media. The Arab Digest has asked the Centre about its objectives, motivations and work. We received the following statement, translated by our team from its Arabic original:

The Islamic Observatory Centre is a Human Rights, Media and Islamic commission, based in London, and caring for Moslems’ interests across the entire globe. We list the following founding pillars of the Islamic Observatory Centre:

   1.  To aid the oppressed and strengthen rights wherever they were.  

   2.  To provide a media platform for associations and figures who need to express themselves and make   their rightful demands, but lack the means to do so.

   3.  To eliminate suspicions and distortions, spread by anti-Islamic media outlets
   4.  To find an Islamic voice that contributes to realistic and decisive issues from an Islamic perspective. 

     

     The Islamic Observatory Centre is independent and does not accept domination; it is self-propelled and universal. It faces no regional or national or international hurdles, but rather surpasses it and denies its existence. One of its most important features is that it serves its principles and the Islamic ideals and call. And since the centre works in media, it remains convinced that media is a tool to serve Islam and not vice versa. The Centre will remain inshallah (God willing) a platform for truth and its people wherever they were.

Defining the Human Rights Committee in the Centre:

Islam has arrived, calling for absolute justice, and the need to establish it among all people, regardless of colour, sex, familial ties, friendship, animosity or anything else. Islamic Sharia has ensured preserving Human Rights, as it forbade violating his given rights, and has guaranteed his life, his money, and his family’s sanctity. Sharia also guaranteed the individual’s privacy.

Our Goals:

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     - to participate in preserving the Moslem’s human rights all around the world; these are the rights included in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Islam (a temporary working paper)

-        - Working on increasing Human Rights’ education and encouraging its respect. Sharia has obliged us to guarantee human rights, as it made the government responsible towards its citizens’ affairs, their protection, ensuring fairness among them. Sharia banned any injustice or discrimination in government towards its citizens, based on sect, or sex, or colour or tribe or anything else.

-        - Rejecting serious violations of a Moslem’s Human Rights, and any other person’s right in the safety of his body, mind and life. We especially reject the following:

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1.       The arrest of any person without a just trial within a specific time frame, or to try them in dis-accord with the widely acknowledged and accepted legal standards.

2.       The death penalty that is issued from special or internationally unacknowledged courts – outside the forgiving Sharia’s jurisdiction and according to its procedures – or the execution of people without trial, and forced disappearances. The Islamic Sharia forbade from executing a sentence without its confirmation through legal evidence.

3.       Opposing torture or any other inhumane treatment of prisoners and detainees. The Islamic Sharia forbade torture.

4.       Deportation of individuals from one country to another, especially if they face torture or death.

5.       Not declaring the condition of prisoners whose rights were violated.

Our general guidelines and tools:

-         - Cooperation and coordination with local, regional and international human rights’ organisations.

-          - Sending objections to international organisations and governments regarding human rights violations.

-          - Providing material and other humanitarian aid to prisoners and their dependents.

-          - Issuing statements and periodicals, organising forums and conferences on Human Rights in Islam, and participating in forums and conferences that agrees with our goals and principles.

-          - Seeking to utilize legitimate pressure tools, and trying to influence local and global public opinions through the media to aid the oppressed wherever they were.

-          - The Committee is committed to Islam in its work and to constructive criticism.

-          - The Committee cooperated with all organisations and societies seeking through legitimate tools to eliminate injustice and serve the truth, whether it concerns the rights of individuals or groups or societies.

Motivation:

The lack of channels, societies and organisations committed to the issues of Moslem Human Rights. Some organisations do not even defend Moslem cases, as if they fell short from being considered humans.

Posted in: Egypt