Hate-mongers at mosques likely to face 10-year jail

JEDDAH: The Shoura Council has taken up for discussion the “anti-discrimination and hate-mongering” bill, which proposes 10-year jail for anyone found guilty of spreading hatred through mosques. The bill was jointly presented by Shoura members Latifa Al-Shalan, Abdullah Al-Fifi and Haya Al-Manea, an online newspaper reported on Sunday. Once the bill is cleared and becomes law, discrimination by individuals and groups based on color, gender, ethnicity and sect will be treated as crime. It also includes restrictions against tribal, regional, sectarian slogans or those based on ideological and political classifications. The bill specifically says that places of worship should be protected from any act that is regarded as discriminatory. The bill, presented in the final form based on Article 23 three months ago, aims to strengthen the Islamic religious values, eradicate extremism, protect national security in view of the current political situation and prevent attacks on religious sites. The bill envisages protection of the social fabric from threats of discrimination between individuals and groups, as well as discrimination in rights and duties on ethnic, tribal, regional, sectarian, ideological or political grounds.   Arab News