Hizb ut-Tahrir Challenges German Ban at European Court

London, UK, June 25th 2008 - This week Hizb ut-Tahrir is submitting an application to the European Court in Strasbourg seeking the ultimate overturning of the ban imposed upon all activities of Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) in Germany. Membership of the Party is not banned in Germany.

Speaking at a London Press Conference today, Shaker Assem, (HT Media Representative in German speaking countries) said, “The German government has decided it would rather subvert its own principles by banning a political group, Hizb ut-Tahrir, and prohibiting its thoughts, rather than engaging in debate or intellectually challenging it.”

“We note that the German courts did not uphold any of the German Interior Ministries accusations of anti-Semitism against HT, however, they have now relied on an obscure principle of the ‘idea of international understanding’ to ban all of our activities (speeches, study circles, articles, vigils, political meetings, books, magazines, and debates).”

“As recently as this past week the German authorities have continued their policies of harassment, arrest and intimidation of our members, consistent with the work of the unelected, tyrannical regimes throughout the Muslim world that also seek to suppress our call”.

The HT legal team* led by Keir Starmer QC has highlighted the following points in the submission:

• The silencing of HT re expression of its views publicly in Germany despite it being well known that HT is a non violent political party based on Islam.
  
• The refusal of the German Constitutional court to hear the German appeal of HT citing that HT is a foreign association despite the fact that many of its members are German nationals, its clear existence in Germany for several decades, and despite the fact that the lower German courts banned the activities of HT in Germany (banning the Party in one court and not recognising it in another).
  
• The rejection of the appeal of 21 members of HT resident in Germany, some of which have been expelled from the country and had their assets confiscated or frozen and despite several being German or EU nationals.
  
• Banning of activities due to the supposed non-agreement with the “idea of International understanding” a principle which is insufficiently articulated to be readily ascertained. Furthermore, to ban an organisation’s activities on this basis is wholly disproportionate.

Hizb ut-Tahrir is a non-violent political party which works for the resumption of the Islamic way of life in the Muslim world via the Khilafah (Caliphate), a system of representative and accountable governance based on the Islamic Shariah. In the West, Hizb ut-Tahrir works to cultivate a Muslim community that lives by Islam in thought and deed, adhering to the rules of Islam and preserving a strong Islamic identity. The party also works to project a positive image of Islam to Western society and engages in dialogue with Western thinkers, policymakers and academics.

[Ends]

Notes to Editors:

1) Legal Team* Keir Starmer QC (Doughty Street Chambers) Matthew Ryder, Keiron Beal (both of Matrix Chambers) and Tayab Ali (McCormacks Solicitors)

CONTACT:

Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain
Email: press@hizb.org.ukThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Web: www.hizb.org.uk
Phone: + 44 (0)7074-192400

HTI (HT Indonesia) members Voice their opposition against rising fuel prices

May 16, 2008 HTI Press Release

Government plans to increase fuel prices at the end of May have sparked massive protests. On Tuesday afternoon (13/5) hundreds of HTI members and other members of the Muslim community, including women and children, staged a demonstration in front of the government's Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

In addition to Islamic Banners, protesters held up posters such as: "Fuel Belongs to the People, Yet People suffer," "Fuel Price Increases, and Poverty too," "Syariah and Khilafah: Caretaker of People's Welfare."

Other organizations such as the Muslim University Student Association and the Islamic Students of Indonesia also joined the protest.

Speeches were punctuated with Takbeer and slogans to reject raisingthe fuel price. "Our government has destroyed the system. A lot of people cannot afford healthcare and medications because they are too expensive. Now, the fuel price is going up too. Are we going to stay silent?" asked Farid Wajdi. The protesters immediately responded with a resolute "NO!" Mr. Wajdi, who is an HTI activist also pointed out that we cannot afford to be silent since people's welfare are in dire straits. "Opposition must go on," he insisted.

Muhammad Al Khaththath, secretary general of Forum Umat Islam (FUI) said that the head of state must take care of the welfare of the people. "According to Hadeeth, a head of state acts as a shield to protect the people from any economical, theological and military onslaughts." On the contrary, Mr Al Khaththath accused the current regime, led by Susilo Bambang Yudoyono and Jusuf Kalla, of serving foreign and capitalist interests, and had failed to do its duty.

A speaker representing Islamic Students of Indonesia said that the democratic system had failed to deliver its promise. "Our currency goes bankrupt. Let's embrace Khilafah!" Almost instantly, the people shouted "Takbeer!" He continued, "If SBY-JK insisted on raising the price of fuel, then we demand their resignation."

During the press conference, Hizb ut-Tahrir’s Indonesia spokesman, Mr. Ismail Yusanto, pushed the government to cancel the plan of raising the fuel price. Mr Yusanto also questioned government claims that the rise of fuel prices in the world forced the government to increase the subsidy, which it can no longer afford. In reality, not all of the fuel was imported. Thus, there is no reason why domestic fuel prices must be adjusted to the international price.

According to Mr Yusanto, Indonesia has produced about 910,000 barrels every day. Therefore, the issue of subsidy should be linked to the amount of imported fuel instead of the entire fuel usage. Mr Yusanto also quoted Kwik Kian Gie, a respected Indonesian economist, who said that there is a profit margin obtained from oil production, which amounts to 35 billion rupiah that goes into the government coffers.

The government's claim that the rising fuel price will reduce poverty is also questionable. Several independent forecasts have shown that the number of people living in poverty will increase to 26 million, while inflation will increase to 26%.

"We must stress that the issue of fuel prices has exposed the current relationship between the rulers and the people, that it is like the relationship between buyers and sellers. The correct relationship should be between the people who own the resources and the rulers who obtained a mandate to manage the resources. Therefore, the people have the right to obtain fuel with a reasonable or the least expensive price possible," added Mr. Yusanto.

Natural oil and other natural resources belong to the people and must be used by the people. "We call our government to nationalize oil and natural gas companies, which have been operating in our country," said Mr. Yusanto. National government should be the one who manages the oil and gas production for the betterment of people's welfare, instead of generating profits for foreign companies.

If the government insists on increasing fuel prices, then the government chooses to be an oppressive regime. Therefore, people must re-consider their support to a regime, which has created and prolonged their misery with no end in sight. Furthermore, the people must choose a ruler that is accountable, who will implement a better system. There is no other system except Sharia, which will manage the natural resources in a just manner.


Source : http://www.khilafah.com/kcom/activism/asia/hti-ht-indonesia-members-voice-their-opposition-against-rising-fuel-prices.html