Liberal Muslim Theologian Intimidated in the UK....

Peter Tatchell is a well-known gay activist in the UK.

Liberal Muslim theologian Sheikh Dr Muhammad Yusuf was to have called for a reconciliation of Islam with democracy and human rights, including human rights for women and gay people in a lectures this evening (March 20) in London.

But he has been pressured to pull out of the lecture – the annual Peter Tatchell Human Rights Fundraiser (PTHRF) – at the last moment following protests and warnings by Muslim leaders.

His planned call for an “Islamic Reformation” provoked the wrath of senior Muslim figures, who warned they could not guarantee his safety if the lecture went ahead.

In place of Sheikh Yusuf, the guest lecture at tonight’s annual Peter Tatchell Human Rights fundraiser will be delivered by exiled Iranian feminist and human rights campaigner, Maryam Namazie. She will highlight the danger posed by to democracy and human rights by the rise of “political Islam”.

Sheikh Yusuf, a research fellow of the Inter-Faith Alliance UK and Chair of the Council of University Imams, was to have delivered a lecture Time for an Islamic Reformation in Britain in which he would have called for the development of an authentically British and European Islam.

“I deeply regret that extreme pressure from some Muslim leaders has forced Sheikh Yusuf to pull out of this evening’s fundraiser,” commented Peter Tatchell. “We were looking forward to welcoming him as an honoured guest.”