The International Humanist & Ethical Union
- is concerned about the increasing influence of a considerable number of fundamentalist Islamic groups on governments in the world. Their interference in daily life is alarming. The fundamentalist application of the “Shariah”, the Islamic law, coupled with the denial of several fundamental rights (such as: right to self-determination, the right to change one’s belief or life stance , the right to liberty and security of a person and the right to privacy) is unacceptable and in conflict with the international declarations and conventions on human rights and the humanist principle of the right to self-determination.
- and disapproves of the intolerance of fundamentalist Islamic groups towards people of differing beliefs and life stances. Many violations of human rights have their origin in the fact that people do not respect each other’s philosophies and the ensuing ways of life.
Therefore the IHEU requests the governments of the Islamic world to tackle the danger of intolerance toward other beliefs and life stances, and to stop violations of human rights as written down in several international declarations and conventions.
Board of Directors 1987
Suggested academic reference
'Islamic fundamentalism', Humanists International, Board of Directors, 1987