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lawmaker backs off condoning stoning of gays

New Zealand
lawmaker backs off condoning stoning of gays

A Muslim lawmaker in Prime Minister Helen Clark's New Zealand government backed away Tuesday from earlier comments he made condoning the stoning executions of homosexuals and adulterers as prescribed by strict Islamic law. Lawmaker Ashraf Choudhary was asked on a current affairs program Monday night whether he thought the Quran was wrong to recommend such punishments. "No, no. Certainly what the Quran says is correct," Choudhary said. The Pakistani-born New Zealand citizen then added: "In those societies, not here in New Zealand." After Clark said Tuesday she would demand an explanation from the lawmaker on his comments, made during a show about Islamic extremism, he issued a statement saying he abhors such practices. "I have been a devout Muslim all my life and stand by the teachings of the Quran," Choudhary said. "But as a matter of personal belief, I abhor stoning and am strongly opposed to violence," he said. The statement said he would not comment further and he did not immediately return calls. Clark made it clear earlier that Choudhary's views were not her party's policy. "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. "I don't care whether it's in any religious tract; it's not something that's acceptable to me," Clark added. Gay lawmaker and conservation minister Chris Carter, who has worked closely with Choudhary for many years, defended his colleague. "He is a person who supported the civil-union bill, he is a person who is very supportive of minority's in this country, and I think is a very good New Zealander," he said. Choudhary voted for the civil-union bill, which gave legal backing to unions between single-sex couples, saying that despite the prevailing Muslim view that homosexuality was immoral, Muslims--as a minority group in New Zealand--had a duty to support the human rights of other minority groups. (AP)

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