The Stream

Britain’s Muslim prisoners

Allegations of Islamic ‘gang culture’ in British jails as number of Muslim inmates soars.

Prisoners at HMP Pentonville walk through an atrium May 19, 2003 in London. (Ian Waldie/Getty Images)

The number of Muslims in British prisons is increasing at a rate eight times that of the overall prison population, according to the British Parliament. Today, Muslims make up nearly 5% of Britain’s population and 13% of its prison population. While Muslim inmates increase, another report says non-Muslim inmates are being bullied into conversion in exchange for protection by Islamic gangs. At 1930GMT, we discuss this claim and why there are so many Muslims in British jails.

In this episode of The Stream, we speak with:

Abu Baraa @MuslimPrisoners
Spokesman for Muslim Prisoners 
muslimprisoners.com

Sadek Hamid @SadekHamid
Researcher, Liverpool Hope University 
 
Mark Leech @prisonsorguk
Editor, CONVERSE
 
Chris Allen @drchrisallen
Lecturer, University of Birmingham 

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