France: Prisoners Who Refuse to Convert to Islam are Threatened, Marginalised, Denied Meals Containing Pork and Have Their Bibles Taken Away by Force and Replaced with Korans The French magazine Valeurs Actuelles has obtained a secret French government document about "proselytism in custody". Written in 2011, it describes how Islam has taken over the French prison system. It is not a question of judging a religious practice. However, considering the consequences and the tendencies which call into question the sovereignty of the state within its correctional institutions, it is the duty of our administration to better understand this phenomenon so that we can perform our duties of guardianship and reinsertion in the best conditions, as well as guarantee our safety and that of our staff. Muslim inmates regularly wear non-standard Islamic clothes such as djellabas, which they would not normally wear outside. This type of clothing is subject to prison regulations, but these are ignored by the inmates and not enforced by the authorities in order to avoid confrontation. The state-appointed prison imams are despised and considered "collaborators". Instead, informal imams emerge to dominate each prison building and become the voices of authority there. Prison regulation prohibit gatherings of inmates larger than 5 to 10 people. These are regularly flouted by the Muslims and ignored by the authorities. It is not desirable that groups gather in shared spaces. However, it is notorious in our administration that almost all collective structures are taken over by Islamists to teach their doctrines or to participate in collective prayers. Access to these places is barred by henchmen to the "uninitiated", including staff of all grades who dare not risk it, preferring to close their eyes to these unofficial activities that are against regulations. Non-converts are subject to pressure, insults, threats and violence. They are marginalised in day-to-day prison life. They cannot participate in (or find it difficult to access) the collective activities offered by the correctional administration because these have been taken over by Islamists. Inmates who resist this political and religious movement are regularly harassed by unexpected visits from recruiters who bring them the Good News (the Hacq). Bibles are taken away under threats and are replaced with Korans. In addition, the henchmen extort money from the "heathen" inmates to subsidise the needs of the faithful. In some institutions, particularly "centrales" [tn: prisons for people with sentences above 2 years] floor assistants ration food to the non-converts and favour the "Brothers"; meals containing pork are not offered for distribution and are sent back to the kitchens as they are. The only exception (sometimes) involves inmates from organised crime and/or terrorism such as the Basques, Corsicans and the Marseilles mafia who benefit from a fragile pact of non-aggression in return for the recognition of Islamic authority.
Posted on: Sun, 09 Jun 2013 16:55:16 +0000
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