Mehdi Hasan

Mehdi Hasan’s polemical take on politics, economics and foreign affairs

Me versus French MP on the face-veil

Watch the video of the BBC World News’s Doha Debates, hosted by Tim Sebastian.

By Mehdi Hasan Published 28 October 2010 14:00

A fortnight or so ago, I went out to Doha, Qatar, to participate in the Doha Debates programme on BBC World News. The show is beamed into 300 million homes in 200 countries and is hosted by the veteran BBC interviewer and anchor Tim Sebastian.

The motion was: "This house believes France is right to ban the face veil." Speaking on the proposition side were Jacques Myard, a French MP from President Sarkozy's UMP, and Farzana Hassan, a Canadian author and activist; speaking on the opposition side were me and the French journalist Nabila Ramdani.

I'm pleased to announce that my side won the debate on the night, with the 350-strong audience of Qataris and expats rejecting the motion by 78 per cent to 22 per cent.

It was a pretty lively and heated debate. You can watch it all in one go in the video on the Doha Debates website.

Or you can watch it via YouTube in four parts, beginning with part 1 below:

Here are parts 2, 3 and 4. (My own opening statement kicks in at 4mins 45secs in part 2 of the four video clips and at 16mins 30secs in the full video of the debate on the Doha Debates website.)

UPDATE: I forgot to mention above that I was a last-minute replacement on the panel for Sayeeda Warsi, who pulled out at the last minute. But was she forced to withdraw by her boss, the Prime Minister?

From the Evening Standard:

Muslim cabinet minister Baroness Warsi pulled out of defending the burqa at an international TV debate because of "government pressure", it was claimed today.

The Tory party co-chairman had been due to appear in front of a global TV audience of 350 million people opposing the motion that "France is right to ban the face veil".

However, a Tory party source said that Baroness Warsi, right, had pulled out for diary commitments.

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Tags: human rights Islam France

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22 comments

Mon, 2010-11-01 22:45 — felix (not verified)

Qatari thanks for proving my point...
Benedict...TRY ADDRESSING THE OTHER POINT'S..religious books and material is forbidden.
.intimacy in public between men and women (including teenagers) can lead to arrest..
Homosexual behaviour is illegal ..
..as courteously as Qatari with his kuffarophobic comments.

Thu, 2010-11-04 18:01 — Liz (not verified)

What a fantastic debate, you're an inspiration Mehdi.

Fri, 2010-10-29 18:17 — Rali (not verified)

On the contrary Andy he has more converts.
2 from my house hold and I will desseminate this article to get him more.We should reject any form or shape that imperialism presents its self.

Thu, 2010-10-28 15:12 — Andy (not verified)

Medhi you have tuned the new statesman into the new muslim.

I hope you are proud as you readership leaves in their droves.

Thu, 2010-10-28 15:46 — Hova (not verified)

@Andy : Religion is a part of New statesman, and a minor part. However, as Islam is an important issue in society, it is important that this issue, which is based more on society rather than theology, is adressed. If you are interested in politics, then read the politics section. However, you cannot expect religion to be purely dismissed just because of your religious convictions. Under this justification, new statesman should also remove its culture sections, literary sections and media sections.

Thu, 2010-10-28 16:03 — Olijaan

@Andy: As far as I can see, the French government has successfully politicised what should indeed have remained a religious (and thus personal) issue. It certainly falls under the rubric "foreign affairs" - and just watch the video for Mehdi's political angle. Superb performance Mehdi by the way.

Thu, 2010-10-28 16:40 — Andy (not verified)

Oh is this the only time Medhi has written about Islam.

I must have forgotten the last yeaf

Thu, 2010-10-28 16:47 — Zain (not verified)

Hi Andy,

So sorry you don't like reading about Islam. This is not Mahdi's choice, nor the choice of a significant proportion of the Muslim population. It is the government and various Islamophobes who are bringing the noise, so to speak. Please address your complaints to them.

Sun, 2010-10-31 11:44 — Qatari (not verified)

@ Felix: Each country has there own rules and regulations... If you don't like some of it, then just shut up and try to make your country a better place!!! And yeah, mind your OWN BUSINESS -,-.. Your comment clearly reflects islamophobia present in western countries today !!!!!!!

Sun, 2010-10-31 11:55 — Benedict (not verified)

"You should behave courteously at all times."

How extreme!

Thu, 2010-10-28 17:06 — Andy (not verified)

I don't mind reading about Islam now and again but since Medhi arrived it has just got too much, its like the Daily Mail but in reverse.
But those are my views and I now wait to be called a racist.

Thu, 2010-10-28 18:03 — Benedict (not verified)

Not necessarily racist, just dull.

Thu, 2010-10-28 19:21 — Left Is Forward (not verified)

The most convincing argument against the veil, isn't to do with the personal freedom or state secularism, but the fact that religious beliefs are essentially a form of contagious mental illness. The appropriate action is not to criminalise the public practice of the religion, but appropriate education and mental health facilities to help wean people from the teat of their fairy-stories.

Wed, 2010-11-03 13:29 — felix (not verified)

Fear and loathing

Tomorrow, Iran could execute Sakineh Ashtiani.

Our global outcry stopped her unjust stoning sentence in July. Now we have 24 hours to save her life.

Iran's allies and key UN powers are our best hope -- they could persuade Iran of the serious political cost of this high-profile killing. Click below to send them an urgent call to action and send this to everyone -- it only takes three minutes and we are her last chance:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/24h_to_save_sakineh/?vl

Sakineh's adultery case is a tragic sham stacked with human rights violations. First, she was to be stoned to death. But the Iranian government had to revoke the sentence after her children generated a worldwide outcry against the farcical trial -- she could not speak the language used in court, and the alleged incidents of adultery took place after her husband's death.

Then her lawyer was forced into exile, and the prosecution conjured up a new trumped-up charge for which she would be executed -- the murder of her husband. Despite this being double jeopardy, as she is already serving time for alleged complicity in this crime, Sakineh was tortured and paraded on national television to 'confess', and was found guilty. Since then the regime has arrested two German journalists, her lawyer and her son, who has bravely led the international campaign to save his mother. All remain in prison and Sakineh's son and lawyer have been also tortured and have no access to lawyers.

Now Iranian human rights activists state an order has just been issued from Tehran to implement her killing immediately. She is on the list and tomorrow is execution day.

Our persistent campaigning led Iran to drop Sakineh's stoning sentence and captured the attention of leaders in countries with influence on Iran, like Turkey and Brazil. Now let's urgently raise our voices to stop her killing and inhumane treatment and free her, her lawyer, her son and the jailed German journalists. Send a message and share this emergency call with friends and family:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/24h_to_save_sakineh/?vl

A massive public outcry has the moral authority to stop heinous crimes. Let's use these 24 hours to send a clear message -- the world is watching and we all stand together today to save Sakineh's life and against injustice everywhere.

With hope and determination,

Alice, Stephanie, Pascal, Giulia, Benjamin and the whole of the Avaaz team

Sources:

The Islamic regime of Iran plans to execute Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani immediately
http://stopstonningnow.com/wpress/4194

Sakineh hanging imminent
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/fears-that-alleged-adulterers...

Iranian woman could be stoned Wednesday
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hipKgm5UqJOxciOi1f07B...

Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani: A life in the Balance (Amnesty International)
http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/MDE13/089/2010/en/589bd56b-49ac-...

Sat, 2010-10-30 02:04 — felix (not verified)

"I'm pleased to announce that my side won the debate on the night, with the 350-strong audience of Qataris and expats rejecting the motion by 78 per cent to 22 per cent."
a truly unbiased audience!350-strong audience of Qataris and expats.hohoho.
I'm sure all the women were wearing tank tops!

FROM
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-count...

The importation of narcotics, alcohol, pornography, pork products and religious books and material is forbidden.
OOPS NO RELIGIOUS BOOKS!! SO MUCH FOR TOLERANCE.no multi-faith here then.
and....
Women should cover their shoulders and avoiding the wearing of short skirts.
You should behave courteously at all times.
Any intimacy in public between men and women (including teenagers) can lead to arrest.
intimacy leads to arrest.....
Homosexual behaviour is illegal in Qatar.
etc etc you get the picture.

Thu, 2010-10-28 22:45 — 2yyiam1

Shock horror, only prominent Muslim journalist in the mainstream media writes articles about Islam on his blog.

Don't read the Islam related articles if you don't like it.

Thu, 2010-10-28 23:16 — Niffy Nog (not verified)

Medhi you are a clever and logical guy but your anecdote about the Italian woman completely undermined your own argument.Her husband imrisoned her first in her veil then, when he wasn't allowed to do that,in her own home.
Surely you see that don't you?

Fri, 2010-10-29 02:49 — Left Is Forward (not verified)

@Buckskins
My take on it is that it is a mental illness, whose continued propagation has been "socially useful" to repressive agencies in society (e.g. in order to keep women in line) and that is actually part of its viral transmission mechanism. Religion clearly offers some sort of benefit to somebody otherwise it would have gone away by now, and the emotional crutch element you identified is also true, but the individual benefits that allow its spread are outweighed by its massive social costs.

Btw, the Latin phrase is "per se", although the pronunciation is indeed "per say" rather than "percy"!