Letter to the Guardian: We need an inquiry into anti-Islam press

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2012/jan/23/inquiry-into-anti-islam-press

Over the past decade, a number of academic studies have indicated a worrying and disproportionate trend towards negative, distorted and even fabricated reports in media coverage of the Muslim community. Recent research at Cambridge University concludes that “a wider set of representations of Islam would signify a welcome change to reporting practices. Muslims deserve a better press than they have been given in the past decade” and according to a recent poll, one in three people in Britain today believe that the media is responsible for “whipping up a climate of fear of Islam in the UK” (ComRes).

The Leveson Inquiry has so far failed to adequately address unfair media coverage as it relates to less prominent cases, including those relating to Muslims and Islam, focusing as it does on the impact of phone hacking on celebrities and other high-profile individuals.

An alternative inquiry is necessary to investigate what many regard as widespread and systematic discriminatory practises in reporting on Muslims and Islam in the British media. Victims – whether prominent or not – of alleged discriminatory media coverage, have a right to have their testimonies catalogued and examined thoroughly by credible, independent assessors. Recommendations can then be made to improve ethical standards in the reporting of, not solely the Muslim community, but of all sections of society.

Signed:

Imran Khan, Human Rights Solicitor

Bianca Jagger, Chair, Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation

Michael Rosen, Writer

Jeremy Corbyn MP

Jemima Khan, Activist

Mohamed Ali Harrath, Islam Channel

Hajj Ahmad Thomson, barrister

Jenny Jones, AM (Green), London Assembly

Andrew Boff, AM (Conservative), London Assembly

Rabbi Janet Burden

Walter Wolfgang

Hugh Lanning, Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Sanum Ghafoor, blogger

Jean Lambert, MEP, London

Peter Murray, former President, NUJ

Dr. Muhammad Abdul Bari, Chair, East London Mosque

Dr. Omer El-Hamdoon, Muslim Association of Britain

Massoud Shadjareh, Islamic Human Rights Commission

Sunny Hundal, Liberal Conspiracy

Ahmed J Versi, The Muslim News

John Rees, Counterfire

Vivien Lichtenstein

Lord Dholakia, Liberal Democrat

Anas Altikriti, Cordoba Foundation

Miriam Margolyes OBE

Farooq Murad, Muslim Council of Britain

Hugh Lanning, Chair, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Sarah Colborne, Director, Palestine Solidarity Campaign

Dr. Daud Abdullah, Middle East Monitor

Moazzam Begg, Cageprisoners

Phil Rees, Out of Office Films

Nabil Ahmed, Federation of Student Islamic Societies

Abdullah Faliq, Islamic Forum of Europe

Rabbi Jeffrey Newman

Cllr. Larry Sanders, Oxfordshire County Council

Diana Neslen

Shemiza Rashid, Director, The Creative Muslim Network

Na’ima B Roberts, Editor, Sisters Magazine

Asa Winstanley, The Electronic Intifada

Richard Peppiatt, writer and former tabloid reporter

Shazia Arshad, human rights campaigner

Myriam Francois Cerrah, activist

Murtaza Shibli, journalist and author

Lindsey German, Stop The War Coalition

Murad Qureshi AM, London Assembly

Cat Smith, Chair, Next Generation Labour (pc)

Robert Pitt, Islamophobia Watch

Dr. Alana Lentin, Universtiy of Sussex

Robin Richardson, Insted Consultancy

Cat Boyd, PCS (pc), Coalition of Resistance Glasgow

Sean Rillo Raczka, University of London Union

Baroness Pola Uddin

Chris Nineham, Enough Coalition Against Islamophobia

Mark McDonald, barrister

Dan Poulton, journalist

Yasmin Khatun, producer

Frances Legg, producer

Chris Bambery, journalist

Sadiya Chowdhury, journalist

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