the price of speaking out

On IWD there was a fairly unpublicised speakers event organised by the National Secular Society here in London, discussing the veil.  Harrys Place is reporting that one of the speakers Taslima Nasreen, a Bangladeshi feminist writer has had a Rs500,000 (£6,000) bounty put on her head by an Indian Muslim group, the All India Ibtehad Council.  It doesnt specify the event as the catalyst but considering what little publicity or MSM follow up there was around their important discussions, this puts into perspective the risks women like Taslima take in speaking out at any time.  Taslima Nasreen fled Bangladesh in 1994 after Muslim fundamentalists declared her writings blasphemous and demanded her execution.

You can hear what she said at the London event about women's role in Islam,  her constant struggle to be heard, her desire to give inspiration to other women, her challenge for a secular humanism and equality for all here.

According to the Daily Times in India, Taqi Raza Khan, the president of the council offered the reward to anyone carrying out the "extermination of this notorious woman", saying "Taslima has put Muslims to shame in her writing. She should be killed and beheaded and anyone who does this will get a reward from the council."

Comments

[mahons]

Is that type of a threat criminal in India (it would certainly be in the U.S.)?

[daytripper]

since when did the herrenvolk want a secular society?

[alison]

DT - Who are the herrenvolk?

Mahons - good question though im not sure how on earth you would police it there or anywhere really

[mahons]

Alsion: Well India must have a criminal code that could prosecute this if it eminates from India. If it is in Bangladesh I presume they too have some criminal code.

[Cunningham]

mahons, this threat was made in India. Alison presumably means that it would be difficult to get a prosecution. However, I don't see why it should. The group apparently is quite prominent in India, and India has a legal system based on the English.

[mahons]

Cunningham: I would think in that case India could prosecute the case. I did read that the Indian Civil Court system is horrible (it takes decades to get a case to trial according to the source). But surely they have a working criminal court system.

[Alan McDonald]

Mahons,

I am alos unaware of the working of Idian justice, but here's a link to another case where Taslima Nasreen is the accused:
http://www.indlawnews.com/6D175B0BF3FEA049830F69452B8791B7

[mahons]

Alan - Yikes. Another nasty story.

[DSD]

Alison is the herrenvolk? Is that really the best you can manage DT, calling someone who thinks putting a price on the head of a courageous feminist is bad a name implying Nazism?

The total moral bankruptcy of the moonbat, there for all to see.

[alan]

When Pete Moore can compliment Rageh Omaar of the BBC and now Alison refers to the NSS http://www.secularism.org.uk/
it gives me a bit of hope that ATW is worth staying with for a while yet!!

[Maggie]

Lets Burn the Burqa should be the rallying cry of all people with a modicum of civilisation. No ifs, no buts, just let the women go.