A UN official has attacked the Southern Poverty Law Center for branding a moderate critic of Islamic an “anti-Muslim extremist”.
Karima Bennoune, the UN’s “special rapporteur” in the field of cultural rights, attacked the SPLC for attaching the damning label to British commentator Maajid Nawaz.
She called on the organisation – famous for its Hate Watch website – to “reconsider, rescind and apologize” for including him in its “field guide to anti-Muslim extremists“.
@splc : with respect for your human rights work over many years, I call on you to reconsider, rescind and apologize for this serious error https://t.co/3i3wxZGGzA
— @UNSRCulture (@UNSRCulture) November 7, 2016
@splc :this undermines the human rts, safety of human rts defenders of Muslim heritage everywhere who challenge fundamentalism @MaajidNawaz https://t.co/3Ylx6FgfPg
— @UNSRCulture (@UNSRCulture) November 7, 2016
Nawaz has vigorously defended himself since he was named on the list,
This type of intervention from the UN – which Heat Street has plenty of problems with – is remarkable given the usual harmony between the organisation and NGOs.
The SPLC has so far stuck by its decision to call Nawaz an extremist, despite mounting public criticism.
1st world American non-Muslims at @splcenter listed me, a liberal reform Muslim, as an "anti-Muslim Extremist". This is a target on my head.
— Radical (@MaajidNawaz) October 27, 2016
Nick Cohen, a strident left-leaning, pro-free speech commentator, described the label as “the white left’s first fatwa” – a reference to the kill orders placed by Muslim clerics on their foes.
When confronted by Cohen during research for the piece, presented with new evidence and asked to reconsider, SPLC expert Mark Potok replied “No”.
Thank you @UNSRCulture for supporting my Muslim right to scrutinise my own faith and communities, against @splcenter's dangerous decision
— Radical (@MaajidNawaz) November 7, 2016
Sources close to the SPLC said that the organisation – famed for opposing white supremacy – is prone to losing its way when touching on other issues, and is becoming increasingly tone deaf.
One told Heat Street: “They have lost the ability to accept criticism without labelling it hateful almost instinctively.”
