Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has called for criminal investigations into British imams who have reportedly encouraged men to use physical violence against their wives. The demand follows a Mail on Sunday exposé that detailed sermons from three preachers allegedly sanctioning such actions.
Yasin Munye, from the Hackney Islamic Community Centre, was reported to have said men could hit their wives if they refused intimacy. Mahamed AbdurRazaq, associated with the An-Noor Masjid and Community Centre in Birmingham, is quoted as advising that if 'admonishing' a wife fails, a man is "allowed to hit her, a hitting that does not bruise and that does not break bones." Aqeel Mahmood, of the Green Lane Masjid in Birmingham, reportedly lectured that a husband has a right to "discipline his wife in case of rebellion."
Philp has written to both the Metropolitan Police and West Midlands Police, condemning the comments as "abhorrent" and stating they "have no place in British society." He argued that women in ethnic minority communities should not be "abandoned" and that cultural sensitivities should not impede law enforcement.
"These comments directly incite violence against women, which is a criminal offence," Philp stated in his letters. "I would therefore be grateful if they can be criminally investigated."
Earlier in the week, shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy also contacted the Crown Prosecution Service, urging prosecutions for "these barbaric preachers." His correspondence referenced past CPS actions against police officers for misogynistic messages and against Christian street preachers.
The Metropolitan Police stated on Sunday that it was "assessing" a complaint against the Hackney mosque. The Mail on Sunday reported that Green Lane Masjid in Birmingham "unequivocally rejects violence, domestic abuse, coercion and all other forms of violence and abuse," while the Hackney Islamic Community Centre and An-Noor Masjid did not respond to requests for comment.