World News
UK opposition official calls for probe into forced prison conversions amid growing safety concerns
Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy cited data showing one in five Muslim inmates are white, while the Ministry of Justice maintains coercion is not tolerated.
The short version
- UK Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy urged the Labour government to investigate reports of forced conversions to Islam by inmate gangs in British prisons.
- Timothy highlighted data showing that white prisoners make up 20% of Muslim inmates, a rate four times higher than in the general population.
- The UK Ministry of Justice stated that faith-based coercion is not tolerated and that most prisons show no evidence of gang-based extremism, citing newly implemented measures to disrupt radical activity.
Key facts
- Shadow Justice Secretary Nick Timothy called on the UK government to investigate reports of forced prison conversions after releasing data showing 20% of Muslim inmates are white.[Fox News]
- Muslim prisoners account for approximately 18% of the total prison population in England and Wales, compared to 6.5% of the general population.[Fox News]
- In a 2022 report, Jonathan Hall, the independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, stated that Islamist terrorists act as self-styled emirs and exert controlling influence, including through forced conversions backed by violence.[Fox News]
- A 2023 independent review by government advisor Colin Bloom noted reports of coercion, including instances where incoming inmates were instructed to convert to Islam to receive protection from gangs.[Fox News]
- The Ministry of Justice stated that most prisons display no evidence of gang-based extremism and that terrorist inmates have been banned from leading corporate worship.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- The precise prevalence of forced religious conversions across the UK prison system remains disputed between opposition politicians, independent reviewers, and the Ministry of Justice.[Fox News]