NZ PM to Question Muslim MP
Charles Johnson
Wed Jul 6, 2005 at 9:17 am PDT • Views: 162
New Zealand’s Prime Minister draws the line at stoning gays to death: PM to question Choudhary over ‘stoning’ comments. (Hat tip: LGF readers.)
Prime Minister Helen Clark will seek clarification from Labour Muslim MP Ashraf Choudhary after he refused in a television interview to condemn the stoning to death of homosexuals and people who had extra-marital affairs.
In a 60 Minutes programme on TV3 last night examining Islamic fundamentalism in New Zealand, Dr Choudhary was asked: “Are you saying the Koran is wrong to recommend that gays in certain circumstances be stoned to death?”
He replied: “No, no. Certainly what the Koran says is correct.”
He then partially qualified the statement.
“In those societies, not here in New Zealand,” he said.
Miss Clark said she would seek clarification of the comments from Dr Choudhary.
“I will try to clarify it. Clearly Ashraf is a devout Muslim and he will have his own views. But for the record let me spell out the Labour Party does not support capital punishment. It does not support flogging. It does not support stoning. We have very strong views about that,” she said.
Frank says: