Malaysia: Women's rights NGO sued
Event- Country
- Malaysia
- Initial Date
- Mar 22, 2010
- Event Description
Sisters in Islam (SIS) is a Malaysian organization of Muslim women promoting women's rights in Islam. Sisters in Islam advocates for the need to interpret the Koran and the Hadith in their proper historical and cultural contexts. The organization's official name is "SIS Forum (Malaysia)". The name "Sisters in Islam" is frequently used on the organization's website and publications. 22 March 2010 The Malaysian Assembly of Mosque Youths (MAMY) filed a lawsuit through its lawyer, Mr Sahlan Saruddin, against Sisters in Islam, contesting the use of the word "Islam" in the organization's name. They argued that Sisters in Islam was registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia under the name "SIS Forum (Malaysia)" and not "Sisters In Islam". Therefore, the organization has no legal title to the word "Islam". They furthermore claimed that Sisters in Islam uses the word "Islam" in order to attract people's attention. MAMY sought a court order that prohibited SIS to use "Sisters In Islam" as their name and identification in pamphlets, correspondence, publications or statements whether in the print or electronic media, until this was allowed under the law. It also sought for an order for SIS to take out the name "Sisters In Islam" from their website, printing and publishing materials and prevent them from distributing printing and publishing materials and/or broadcasting the word "Sisters In Islam". 29 October 2010 The High Court in Malaysia decided that Sisters In Islam could keep the word "Islam" in their name, because MAMY had no legal standing to challenge the name.
- Impact of Event
- 1
- Violation
- Judicial Harassment
- Rights Concerned
- Freedom of Religion and Belief
- Source
- Monitoring Status
- Not active
- Event Location
Latitude: 3.10709
Longitude: 101.60826
- Event Location
- Summary for Publications
Sisters in Islam (SIS), official name official name "SIS Forum (Malaysia)", is a Malaysian organization of Muslim women promoting women's rights in Islam. Sisters in Islam advocates for the need to interpret the Koran and the Hadith in their proper historical and cultural contexts. On 22 March 2010, the Malaysian Assembly of Mosque Youths (MAMY) filed a lawsuit through its lawyer, Mr Sahlan Saruddin, against Sisters in Islam, contesting the use of the word "Islam" in the organization's name. They argued that Sisters in Islam was registered with the Companies Commission of Malaysia under the name "SIS Forum (Malaysia)" and not "Sisters In Islam". Therefore, the organization has no legal title to the word "Islam". They furthermore claimed that Sisters in Islam uses the word "Islam" in order to attract people's attention. MAMY sought a court order that prohibited SIS to use "Sisters In Islam" as their name and identification in pamphlets, correspondence, publications or statements whether in the print or electronic media, until this was allowed under the law. It also sought for an order for SIS to take out the name "Sisters In Islam" from their website, printing and publishing materials and prevent them from distributing printing and publishing materials and/or broadcasting the word "Sisters In Islam". On 29 October 2010, the High Court in Malaysia decided that Sisters In Islam could keep the word "Islam" in their name, because MAMY had no legal standing to challenge the name.