London, UK, January 24 – On the eve of the debate in the House of Lords over government plans to widen the grounds for proscription to include non-violent political organisations, Hizb ut-Tahrir, the Islamic political party, reiterates its view that such legislation is intended to silence opposition to Western foreign policy and strengthen the dictators of the Muslim world.

For over five decades, Hizb ut-Tahrir has been following a method of non-violent political activity against imperialism and dictators and despots who rule the Muslim world with the West?s approval. In its work to establish the Islamic Caliphate, Hizb ut-Tahrir has never resorted to any sort of armed struggle and nor has it ever incited people to kill innocent civilians. It has throughout its history worked through intellectual and political means while its members have been tortured and killed in the thousands.

Dr Imran Waheed, a media representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir Britain, said, "The government wants to ban political organisations that abhor violence but stand up to Western imposed dictators and tyrants. This is despite the fact that the Joint Committee on Human Rights, Acpo and over 180 leading Muslim organisations and personalities have expressed serious concerns about these moves and questioned the impact of them upon community relations."

"All people of conscience, Muslim and non-Muslim, must prevent a knee-jerk reaction which would drive a rift between communities in the UK and set the course of British politics onto the slippery slope of intellectual censorship and totalitarianism."

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