Magic Statistics

A co-worker supplied this peaceful scene from the frozen North.

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Defendants know they have a strong case when the prosecutor "demands" acquittal.

Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal, two Turkish converts from Islam to Christianity, were charged last year with insulting Turkish identity and Islam.  This week, their accusers finally appeared in a court of law and submitted to cross-examination by defence lawyers.  A state prosecutor finds the evidence against the accused utterly without merit.

State Prosecutor Ahmet Demirhuyuk told the Silivri Criminal Court on Wednesday (July 18) that there was "not a single concrete, credible piece of evidence" to support the accusations filed against Hakan Tastan and Turan Topal nine months ago.
…
In his remarks to the court, the state prosecutor declared it was clear from the defendants' testimony that they were converted Christians committed to spreading their religion. But he noted that their accusers remained unable to substantiate their claims that the two men had cursed Turkey and Islam and then tried to force them to accept Christianity and be baptized.

Mr Demirhuyuk pointed out that Turkey has no law against practicing Christianity or spreading the faith.  Indeed, these rights are expressly guaranteed by the country’s constitution.

A verdict is expected at the next court hearing on 12 September.

Earlier this month, Mr Tastan and Mr Topal were fined for collecting money—tithes and offerings, to be precise—without official approval.  Their lawyer is working on getting that bogus charge reversed.

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When Malaysia gained independence from Britain in 1957, it was established as a secular state.  Last week, however, Malaysia’s deputy prime minister Najib Razak stated that Malaysia was not secular but Muslim, although it provides safeguards for minority religions.  (Tell that to Lina Joy.)

That pronouncement sparked a firestorm of controversy.  Now the Internal Security Ministry has told the media to stop reporting on the debate.  Not only that, the ministry spokesman who issued the order doesn’t want his name publicised.  Don't report on this, and keep my name secret, too.

The Internal Security Ministry has issued a directive to all mainstream media to stop reporting on the issue, said a ministry official, who asked not to be named due to the sensitive nature of the issue.

"We want to stop this issue being aggravated into becoming a public debate as this will create tension," he told The Associated Press. "This is a very sensitive issue… As far as possible, we want to prevent (any racial) tension."

The only comments that may be reported are those by the prime minister and the deputy prime minister, both of whom are Muslim.  The prohibition was justified on the grounds of keeping public peace and harmony in the religiously and ethnically divided country.

The opposition leader denounced the ban, calling it a grave blow to freedom of the press.  Malaysian bloggers are apparently not covered by the order, for they continue heatedly to debate the relationship between Islam and government.

h/t: International Christian Concern

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Frank Field, outspoken Labour MP from Birkenhead, Merseyside, has caused a stir by attributing recent failed terrorist attacks in Glasgow and London to excessive immigration.  His constituents, he said, were angered by government warnings to be “vigiliant” and blamed government immigration policy for the problem in the first place.

During a Commons debate, Mr Field said: “In the statements of relief that the last bombing episode had not wrought the evil on innocent people that had been intended, Cabinet ministers told us to be vigilant.

“The report back from my constituents in Birkenhead market was: ‘What a damned cheek that they should lecture us on vigilance!’

“If the political class had been a little more vigilant in the past, and responded to their regular doubts and worries about the level of immigration, we might not, they said, be listening to such statements.”

Predictably, his comments were branded “irresponsible” and “not helpful” by a local charity manager, head of police-community relations, and a Muslim chaplain.

h/t: Eye on Britain

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