Martin Bright

The Gita Saghal Saga Continued

I have no doubt that history will vindicate Gita Sahgal in her decision to challenge Amnesty International over its relationship with former Guantanamo detainee Moazzam Begg and his organisation Cage Prisoners. 
She has now left her job, as The Times reports today. This will be a great loss to Amnesty, which has lost a deeply respected figure in international human rights, especially in the field of women’s rights and the threat of authoritarian Islam. 
I can’t really better Oliver Kamm’s analysis of how damaging this is for Amnesty:
“Its critics charge that it has diluted its defence of universal human rights by allying with a group that rejects that principle. By its treatment of Ms Sahgal, and its grudging and euphemistic explanation for its behaviour, Amnesty has confirmed that the critics are right.”
You can read Gita’s full statement at Harry’s Place here.
If she feels a little isolated at the moment, she should seek solace in the fact that the case has become  a rallying point for anti-totalitarians in Britain and around the world.


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