Sadakat Kadri, a leading UK barrister has called for the government to be more understanding of Sharia law, stating that it is compatible with human rights law. He commented: "It's very important that [Sharia law courts] be acknowledged and allowed to exist. So long as they're voluntary, which is crucial, it's in everyone's interests these things be transparent and publicly accessible. If you don't have open tribunals, they're going to happen anyway, but behind closed doors."
Under the Arbitration Act 1996, the rulings of religious bodies which include the Muslim arbitration tribunal already have legal force in disputes involving matters such as inheritance and divorce. Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society commented that the use of sharia law in the UK "must not be compromised by the introduction of a theoretic legal system operating in parallel."
A fellow Doughty Street Chambers barrister, Caoilfhionn Gallagher, will be speaking tomorrow at the PILA Practitioner Seminar, The Role of NGOs in Public Interest Litigation.