UAE issues religious tolerance law News
UAE issues religious tolerance law

[JURIST] The United Arab Emirates (UAE) [official website, in Arabic] on Monday issued Law No. 2 for 2015 to prevent discrimination and intolerance based on religious and ethnic backgrounds. The legislation bars discrimination [WAM report] based on religion, caste, creed, doctrine, race, color or ethnic origin and punishes violation with between six-months and over 10 years in prison. In particular, the law, decreed by President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan [official profile], aims for those who encourage hate speech and intolerance and labels them as infidels.

The law comes in the wake of growing concerns over religious extremist groups such as the Islamic State (IS) [JURIST news archive]. Last month the UAE sent a message to extremists by sentencing [NBC report] Ala’a Badr Abdullah al-Hashemi to death for her militant-style killing of American teacher Iboyla Ryan. UAE carried out [NBC report] al-Hashemi’s execution last week. In March, the Arab League including UAE formed a joint military group [JURIST report] to oppose forces that threaten its members including IS.

THIS DAY @ LAW

International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism

November 9 is the International Day Against Fascism and Anti-Semitism [UNITED factsheet]. On November 9, 1924, American gay activist Henry Gerber and several associates formed the Society for Human Rights, the first gay rights organization in the United States. The Society received a charter from the State of Illinois in December but was disbanded in July 1925 after a police raid which led to Gerber's arrest and trial (albeit not conviction). Pay a virtual visit to Henry Gerber House, now a registered Chicago landmark.

Supreme Court strikes down Massachusetts anti-draft law

On November 9, 1970, the Supreme Court voted 6-3 in Massachusetts v. Laird not to hear the case of the state's anti-draft law. Massachusetts had passed a law, which allowed its citizens to decline to fight in any undeclared war, even if the person was drafted. The law was passed in opposition to the draft and the war in Vietnam. The First Circuit found the war constitutional and thus struck down the law.