UK Islam TV channel found in breach of guidelines by condoning marital rape

EDINBURGH - A Muslim television channel breached the broadcasting code by airing discussions containing contentious views on violence against women and marital rape, according to a ruling by UK media watchdog ‘Ofcom’.

The Scotsman quoted the regulator, as saying that five programmes transmitted by the Islam Channel between May 2008 and October 2009 had breached broadcasting guidelines.

A phone-in programme in May 2008, in which a female caller asked if she had the right to hit a violent husband back, was considered as a breach of the code.

The presenter answered her question saying, “In Islam we have no right to hit the woman in a way that damages her eye or damages her tooth or damages her face or makes her ugly. Maximum what you can do, you can see the pen over here, in my hand, this kind of stick can be used just to make her feel that you are not happy with her.”

Ofcom said it considered the presenter was clear that some form of physical punishment was acceptable, the paper said.

In April 2009, a discussion programme on sexual relations marriage was found to have breached guidelines, as was a programme in October 2009 in which it was said women who wore perfume outside the home could be declared “a prostitute”.

In its report, Ofcom said: “Ofcom remains concerned about Islam Channel’s understanding and compliance processes in relation to the code.”

However in a submission to the report, the Islam Channel said it “does not condone or encourage violence towards women under any circumstances” and “does not condone or encourage marital rape”. (ANI)