A coalition of human rights and community groups are reportedly boycotting the government’s review of the anti-radicalisation programme Prevent in protest at the appointment of William Shawcross as its chair. The appointment of Shawcrosss, was met with criticism over previous remarks that he had made about Islam.
In a joint statement, 17 groups with interests in human rights and communities, including Liberty, Amnesty International and Runnymede Trust, said the appointment of Shawcross showed the review was there to “simply rubber-stamp” the controversial and divisive strategy, and they would not contribute to the exercise. There have been calls for an independent review of Prevent for years, by critics who say it fosters discrimination against people of Muslim faith or background and inhibits legitimate expression.
