Islamic Human Rights Commission

Islamic Human Rights Commission
Formation1997; 27 years ago (1997)
TypeNGO
PurposeIslamic Human Rights
Headquarters202 Preston Road, Wembley, London, UK
Official language
English
Key people
AffiliationsUnited Nations, European Union, Universal Justice Network, Decoloniality Europe, Convivencia Alliance
Websiteihrc.org.uk
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The Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHRC) is a non-profit organisation based in London. Its stated mission is to "champion the rights & duties revealed for human beings" and to "promote a new social [and] international order, based on truth, justice, righteousness [and] generosity, rather than selfish interest."[1] The group was established in 1997. The organisation, since 2007, has held consultative status with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.[2]

The organisation has been accused of ties with the Iranian regime and spreading Islamic extremism in the United Kingdom. In the British government’s independent 2023 review of its Prevent counter-extremism programme, directed by Sir William Shawcross, the final report described the organisation as “an Islamist group ideologically aligned with the Iranian regime, that has a history of ‘extremist links and terrorist sympathies’.”[3] However, Amnesty International UK’s Racial Justice Director Ilyas Nagdee described Shawcross’ review as “riddled with biased thinking, errors and plain anti-Muslim prejudice” and “has no legitimacy.”[4] He accused the Prevent counter-extremism programme of unfairly targeting British Muslims, a claim which has been contested by policy experts.[4][5]

The IHRC organises yearly Quds Day rallies calling for an end to the State of Israel.[6] The marches are notorious for the crowd commonly displaying of Hezbollah flags, a group proscribed as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom as of 2019.[7][8]

  1. ^ "Aims and Objectives - IHRC". Islamic Human Rights Commission. Archived from the original on 7 May 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  2. ^ "UN ECOSOC NGO branch". Esango.un.org. 24 February 2010. Retrieved 17 December 2011.
  3. ^ Shawcross, William (8 February 2024). "Independent Review of Prevent's report and government response" (PDF). Government of the United Kingdom. pp. 151–152. Archived from the original on 18 May 2024. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  4. ^ a b "UK: Shawcross review of Prevent is 'deeply prejudiced and has no legitimacy'". Amnesty International. 8 February 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  5. ^ Jenkins, John; Perry, Damon L.; Stott, Paul; Cameron, David (26 April 2022). Delegitimising Counter-Terrorism: The Activist Campaign to Demonise Preven. London: Policy Exchange. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1-913459-99-4.
  6. ^ "Join the Al Quds Day Rally - IHRC". Islamic Human Rights Commission. 30 March 2024. Archived from the original on 17 April 2024. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  7. ^ "Hezbollah flags fly at Al Quds Day rally and counter protest in London". ITV News. 10 June 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Organisers of Al-Quds march urge London mayor to support 'free expression'". Middle East Eye. 17 May 2018. Retrieved 26 September 2024.