Al-Qaeda-linked jihadists impose Islamic rules, ban music, shisha in Syrian province.

[another_liberal]

Source: R T News

An Al-Qaeda-linked group has issued new decrees restricting the personal freedoms of the Syrians in the areas under its control in Raqqa province. New laws prohibit music and smoking cigarettes and shisha. Violators will be “punished by sharia law.” The Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (abbreviated as ISIS or ISIL) has issued four statements that decree new laws on Monday. The new laws come into force three days later, the group said, i.e. January 23.

Starting on that day, women are obliged to wear the niqab, or full face veil, and cover their hands with gloves. They will also not be allowed in public without a male guardian. Walking late at night will also be prohibited for the women of Raqqa, the first and only city to have fallen completely under the jihadist group’s control. “Any sister who does not comply with this moral code will be punished by the rules of sharia, her male guardian will also be punished,” reads the statement, cited by the Syrian Observatory of Human rights.

In its second statement, the jihadist group has also prohibited music from being played in public and photographs of people being posted in shop windows.

(snip)

Read more: http://rt.com/news/jihadists-sharia-law-syria-980/

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". . . her male guardian will also be punished."

I guess that translates to: "Keep your women in line, or you'll get the worst of it."

[get the red out]

1. Meet the new boss

No better than the old boss.

[Xithras]

18. To most, the new boss is much, much worse.

Assad "only" kills people who oppose his dictatorship. These douchebags kill people for doing anything they deem "unholy", and reserve the right to deem new items "unholy" at will and without warning.

[pampango]

21. Unfortunately, 'only' killing people that oppose his dictartorship involves a whole lot of killing.

His success in the conflict has been turning it into a "you are with me or you are with the terrorists" choice. It was not perceived as that in early 2011 during the massive peaceful demonstrations. He has done quite well at that. Now it is up to his military to deliver.

[cosmicone]

2. The extremist Islam is utterly fucked up

but -- moderate muslims don't lift a finger to stop it.

[Swede Atlanta]

6. Agree....

Sharia law has absolutely nothing to do with faith, belief or anything existential.

It is all about control and ensuring that Islamic society remains patriarchal where women remain cloaked and only useful for work around the home (unless of course the family affords a foreign guest worker who may be routinely raped by the head of the Islamic household), pleasuring their man and giving birth. There is absolutely no value in women otherwise.

They restrict things like music only because it has the tendency to open people's minds. As long as they can maintain control on what everyone sees, reads and hears they can maintain their archaic system.

To your point I don't understand why moderate Muslims that believe in a secular constitutional state with basic human rights and freedoms don't speak out against the extremists.

I guess it is the same reason the American Taliban a.k.a conservative Christian fundamentalists get away with the crap they do. About the only thing we have to combat them is the ACLU and organizations like them that take on these challenges to freedom.

[Fumesucker]

20. Look who speaks out about laws promulgating religious doctrine in the USA

For the most part it's not the moderate Christians, it's the hated atheists.

[dipsydoodle]

3. I didn't know they didn't approve of shishas.

[Comrade Grumpy]

4. Yep, that's a deal breaker.

[dipsydoodle]

5. Never tried one but know what they are.

The Lebanese use them at the cafes on Edgware Road round the corner to Blair's gaff. Or at least they did anyway - might not be legal here now puffing in a cafe.

[Comrade Grumpy]

7. I tried it in Dubai once. Nice, fruit-flavored tobacco.

[cosmicone]

10. I thought Blair's gaff was Iraq ... n/t

[dipsydoodle]

11. lol

UK slang for house whatever.

[seveneyes]

8. Deal breakers

Of course, smoking bans are taking it too far after these rules...

Starting on that day, women are obliged to wear the niqab, or full face veil, and cover their hands with gloves. They will also not be allowed in public without a male guardian. Walking late at night will also be prohibited for the women of Raqqa, the first and only city to have fallen completely under the jihadist group’s control. “Any sister who does not comply with this moral code will be punished by the rules of sharia, her male guardian will also be punished,” reads the statement, cited by the Syrian Observatory of Human rights.

In its second statement, the jihadist group has also prohibited music from being played in public and photographs of people being posted in shop windows.

[cosmicone]

9. I love shishas ... so relaxing after a hard day... n/t

[another_liberal]

14. Picking on the women is one thing . . .

When they try to make the men stop smoking together they'll get real resistance.

[L0oniX]

12. Not surprised at all. Knew this shit was going to happen.

But hey ...as long as they are against Assad ....we can give them aid.

[another_liberal]

13. We can?

You don't seriously want to support the ISIS, do you? They are at least as bad as the dictator they're fighting against!

[L0oniX]

15. I should have an automatic sarc tag.

[another_liberal]

16. That's a relief.

I didn't think it sounded like an opinion you would genuinely hold.

[get the red out]

24. Yes

Agree (and I get the sarcasm)

[eissa]

17. When my husband visited his family there

about 10 years ago his nieces wouldn't get home until early in the morning on their weekends. In fact, after New Year's celebrations, their night was just getting started after midnight. The streets were overrun by young people having a blast. Syria is no bed of roses, to be sure. It's a police state run by a dictator. But one where minorities and women fared far better than in neighboring countries, yes even the "democratic" ones. And now a brutal dictator is being replaced by an equally brutal, but far more repressive band of thugs.

[another_liberal]

19. I hope your relatives in Syria are safe. It must be a terrible time for them, and for you.

I sincerely wish the fighting would be over soon, all the refugees would be able to return and everyone could live together in peace. The Syrian people deserve far better than for things to continue as they currently are.

[pampango]

22. "The Syrian people deserve far better than for things to continue as they currently are."

Indeed the deserve far better than life under the father-son royal dictatorship of the last 40 years. One day they will have it, but it does not look like it will be anytime soon.

[another_liberal]

23. The age of dictators is surely past.

May Assad be one of the last humanity has to suffer under.