The London Circle

| The London Circle | 27 Sep 2023

Behind government policies which emerged following the 9-11 attacks and the heralding of the war on terror, is a sophisticated web of psychological analysis and mental health evaluations, not far from sci-fi plots of Hollywood, where crimes are pre-empted and terrorists are detected before they have themselves considered committing any criminal acts. Or so, we are led to believe.

When the film Minority Report came out, no one expected that within only a few years, counter-terrorism operatives would employ psychology to fight the fight. While the contentious practice of “profiling’ was common, wide-spread and often wildly off the mark, scientists and so called experts were hard at work instilling such methods and mechanisms into policies implemented across the board targeting young children and the vulnerable.

Tarek Younis, an author and expert in psychology and mental health in counter-terrorism practices and Islamophobia, talk with Anas Altikriti about this and the implications upon an already heavily targeted Muslim community in the UK

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Guests:

| Tarek Younis, Senior Lecturer of Psychology, Middlesex University.

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| The London Circle | 20 Sep 2023

Long described as the most oppressed people in the entire world, the struggle of the Rohingya continues not only in the face of systematic dehumanisation, but against global ignorance or indifference to their plight.

The suffering of the Rohingya people has been ongoing for decades but exacerbated further by one of the most brutal military regimes in the world, intent on eradicating the Rohingya people particularly and Burmese Muslims in general.

But among the array of calamities facing the Rohingya’s fight for equality and freedom from oppression, is the global ignorance and often indifference to their plight, favouring political and economic interests instead.

Kywa Win talk with Anas Altikriti about the Rohingya, the roots of their struggle and the future outlook for their suffering.

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Guests:

| SKywa Win, Burma Human Rights Network.

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| The London Circle | 13 Sep 2023

With mental health being better understood and better monitored by all parties, including authorities and practitioners, questions emerge as to the presence and impact of mental health on Muslim communities, as well as avenues available to address these issues.

Mental health has only been talked about and somewhat understood in the last few years, and to date, much misunderstanding and lack of appreciation of the gravity of mental illnesses on individuals, communities and all of society remains prevalent.

How does mental health impact British Muslims, and are such ailments connected to ethnicity, dietary practices or specific lifestyles? How do we draw a connection between mental illness and practices of abuse, domestic and otherwise? What is the real impact of mental health on a community.

These questions and more are raised in the discussion Anas Altikriti has with Sahar Beg.

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Guests:

| Sahar Beg, Psychotherapist.

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| The London Circle | 06 Sep 2023

Why is it that the UK democracy seems to be failing the people so fantastically, with little hope that any real change is likely under Labour if they were to win the next elections?

With the economy in disarray, the cost-of-living crisis getting progressively worse, the NHS being hammered into the ground, and young people having to choose between activism and being hopeful of a career by which they can pay off their enormous student’s debt, one would have thought that the official opposition (i.e. Labour) would see this as a golden opportunity to propose a different set of politics to the failed ones the country has had for the past 13 years. Alas, that is not the case.

Anas Altikriti talks with Matt Kennard about the state of British Politics and why our democracy isn’t working.

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Guests:

| Matt Kennard

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| The London Circle | 30 Aug 2023

Two years on from the scenes of the US forces and their agents scurrying onto the wheels and engines of planes leaving Kabul in a hurry, Afghanistan is a country that is proving a far greater success than most ever thought possible.

A recent delegation of Muslim leaders went on a fact-finding mission to ask the Taliban government tough questions, especially pertaining to girls and their right to education. They also asked about the once-booming opium trade as well as various public sector services that might tell of where Afghanistan is heading.

Hamid Mahmoud was a member of that delegation. In this episode, he discusses with Anas Altikriti what he saw and what he thought of the present and the future of Afghanistan. 

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Guests:

| Hamid Mahmoud

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| The London Circle | 23 Aug 2023

The first victims of frontline doctors and health providers who fell to Covid were Muslims. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims work across the NHS, which is the jewel of the United Kingdom and a model example to all health sectors anywhere around the world. 

However, the NHS is being severely undermined due to successive governments driving it towards a US-style privatized model, which would ensure millions would be left without medical cover, whilst enriching corporates and capitalists to the tune of billions every year. 

What role did the likes of BIMA (British Islamic Medical Association) play in drawing up plans for a holistic and comprehensive health sector, raise awareness among the Muslim community and address issues to the government and health authorities that would see the NHS saved from the scrap heap? 

Dr’s Amer Hamid and Wajid Akhter speak with Anas Altikriti. 

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Guests:

| Dr Amer Hamid , 
| Dr Wajid Akhter , 

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| The London Circle | 16 Aug 2023

The Rabi’s Square massacre against peaceful protestors against the Military Coup which crushed the fledgling democracy in Egypt, was described as the worst massacre committed in modern times, and a crime against humanity. Yet 10 years on, very little has happened to restore justice to the countless victims.

When the Egyptian military invaded Rabi’a Square on the 14th of August and opened fire against the tens of thousands of protestors who had been holding a sit-in for several weeks, many had predicted that the world would not stand in silence amid the massacre that unfolded before the eyes of the world.

Yet, the world not only stood watching in silence but actually moved on, whilst the Egyptian people continue to suffer a failed and corrupt regime that has reduced the entire country and its people to rubble.

Maha Azzam talks to Anas Altikriti about Egypt, the Rabi’a Massacre and what should and could be expected on the democracy-flagging international community.

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Guests:

| Maha Azzam, President of the Egyptian Revolutionary Council

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| The London Circle | 09 Aug 2023

Why is the cause of the Uyghurs so complicated, and why is the world divided so deeply over where to stand thereon? Despite public denouncements of China over the cultural genocide perpetrated against the Uyghurs, little is being done in real terms to either bring the Chinese regime to account or to offer actual help and assistance to the victims.

In a recent United Nations vote, the majority of Muslim countries failed to vote against China over its treatment of the Uyghur Muslims. This as well as a widespread apathy on behalf of the Muslim world baffles the Uyghurs and their supporters around the world.

The measure of crimes committed against the people of East Turkistan is difficult to quantify and affects them on every level, even in the privacy of their own homes.

Anas Altikriti talks to Abdul Hakim Idris and Salman Butt about what the Uyghurs dream of achieving and what ought to be done on behalf of Muslims and global activist. 

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Guests:

| Abdul Hakim Idris, Centre for Uyghur Studies.
| Salman Butt, Stand4Uyghurs.

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| The London Circle | 02 Aug 2023

It’s been two years since Kais Saied mounted a coup on the Tunisian constitution, and more than 100 days since the arrest of the elected Speaker of the Tunisian Parliament Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi.
Where does Tunisia find itself now and what can the Tunisian people look forward to?

When Kaid Saied dissolved parliament and suspended the Constitution, many thought that it would be a matter of days, weeks at most, before things went back to normal and Tunisia resumed its progress towards creating the democratic state which its revolution in December 2010 promised.

However, two years on from that fateful night, Tunisia finds itself on the slippery and dangerous path towards oppression, authoritarianism and dictatorship, which most Middle Eastern states display.

Sheikh Rached Ghannouchi, the 82 year old elected Speaker of Parliament and head of Ennahda Party has now spent over 100 days in prison along with dozens of political prisoners, facing frivolous trumped up charges forced by the Saied Regime.

Ahmed Gaaloul of Ennahda party and Yusra Ghannouchi, daughter of Sheikh Rached discuss with Anas Altikriti where Tunisa and the Tunisian people find themselves, and to what future both can look forward.

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Guests:

| Ahmed Gaaloul
| Yusra Ghannouchi

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| The London Circle | 26 July 2023

In a recent trip to France, Muhammad Rabbani was stopped at the airport, held for an entire day and ultimately banned from entering the country, all because he dared criticise France’s treatment of its Muslim communities.

Anti-terror laws which allow security authorities to hold, interrogate and intimidate Muslim activists seem to be not only expanding, but also intensifying and becoming more frequent.

Despite upholding values of democracy, freedoms and human rights, yet several European countries, France and the UK included, seem to casually flaunt those values whenever convenient, causing not only serious inconvenience to the individual, but widespread intimidation and the waste of valuable security resources on individuals well known to harbour no threat whatsoever.

What can Muslim activists and organization do in light of a legal sphere that appears to be designed to create immense challenges for them and for their movement?

Muhammad Rabbani discusses with Anas Altikriti details of his recent experience at Paris airport which ended with him being banned from ever entering the country.

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Guests:

|  Muhammad Rabbani

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