Islamophobia has to be fought like racism, says victimised student

IRNA – A student, wrongfully arrested under Britain's anti-terrorism laws, says that Islamophobia need to be fought like racism and other injustices.

Hicham Yezza, who was a PhD student and staff member of Nottingham University when he was arrested in 2008, said that Islamophobia is both an act of racism and an abuse of human rights. 

“It is not crucial of going into the nitty gritty of whether it is exactly racism or different. The key thing is that it is wrong to do it. It is clearly an act of prejudice and bigotry and as such needs,” Yezza said. 

“We know it is wrong, the people who do it know it is wrong and it needs to be treated as racism. It is completely unacceptable, it has to be fought, it has to be challenged, it has to be exposed,” he told IRNA. 

Yezza, who is from Algeria, was eventually released by anti-terrorism police without charge for printing a so-called al-Qaeda training manual for a fellow student, but was immediately sent for deportation back to his country. 

“It is up to us to get things to change. We need to make the sacrifices and spend the time and effort needed to get those changes happening,” he said. 

“If we sit and wait for those in power to do something, we are going to be waiting for a long time. We have to accept that people who are aware of the situation are those who need to make the effort,” he warned. 

Yezza is also a former member of the University Senate, the Student’s Union Executive Committee, a co-founder of the Arabic society and still edits Ceasefire Magazine, which he founded in 2003. 

During his interview with IRNA, he quoted the example of the plight of his own case to underline the determination and resilience needed to combat Islamophobia and injustice. 

“After I was arrested, I was put on a deportation list. I was told that I would be whisked out of the country within seven days, I was given the choice either I leave or stay here and fight,” Yezza said.