Introduction
Tarafa Baghajati (Arabic: طرفة بغجاتي, born September 1, 1961) is a human rights activist and writer. He is also the chairman of the Austrian Muslim Initiative (AMI). He has lived in Vienna, Austria since 1986.
Life
Tarafa Baghajati was born in Damascus, Syria, to parents Adnan Baghajati, an author and former Syrian Education minister, and Amal Homsi, an economic journalist.
In 1984 the Syrian government detained Baghajati for more than eight months. He spent three of them in Tadmor Prison due to his political views.
In 1999, he founded the Initiative of Muslim Austrians (IMOE) with his wife Carla Amina Baghajati, Omar Al-Rawi, Mouddar Khouja and Andrea Saleh, who are members of the Islamic Religion Community in Austria.
Baghajati is a former board member (2001–2007, 2004–2007 Vice-President) and member of the Honorary Advisory Board of European Network Against Racism (ENAR) He is also a board member of the Platform for Intercultural Europe (PIE).
Baghajati is one of the founders and a board member of European Muslim Initiative for Social Cohesion (EMISCO).
Humanitarian work and Activism
Female genital mutilation fight
Tarafa Baghajati has always stated his opposition and rejection of the practice of female genital mutilation (FGM), in Africa and Europe and called to prevent it.
On March 2009, Rüdiger Nehberg and Tarafa Baghajati met Sheikh Prof. Dr Yusuf al-Qaradawi in Qatar, one of the best known Islamic contemporary authority scholars. They obtained a fatwa issued by the recognized legal scholars, stating the genital mutilation of girls is referred to and forbidden as "devil's work" because it is directed against the ethics of Islam. Speaking at the Hamburg Museum of Ethnology, 6 February 2011 Baghajati ventured to predict to celebrate the end of this practice as early as 2020.
On February 2011, Rüdiger Nehberg and Tarafa Baghajati met Sheikh Prof. Dr Mohamed Said Ramadan Al-Bouti and obtained a similar fatwa against female genital mutilation.
On September 2012, Rüdiger Nehberg and Tarafa Baghajati met Sudanese Sheikh Hassan al-Turabi and obtained a similar statement opposing female genital mutilation.
Immigrants and Muslims rights in Europe
Since Tarafa Baghajati moved to Austria in 1986, Baghajati has been active within the topics of immigration, anti-racism, human rights and, generally, political issues which involve the Middle East especially his home country of Syria. He is also very active within the topics of Islam and Muslims in Austria and Europe, defending Muslim women's rights especially those who wear headscarves, and the opposition of what is known as Islamophobia, or hate crime against Muslims, calls for European countries to legal recognition to combat anti-Islamic prejudice. On 23 February 2015 he spoke at RT, and expressed his concern at the rise of islamophobia in EuropeOn 24 June 2015, Tarafa called for the Muslim community to be more engaged in European Policy
On 28 July 2015, Vienna's prosectors' office launched the probe and lodged calls for criminal proceedings against Geert Wilders for allegedly comparing the Quran to Mein Kampf., after Tarafa had accused them of hate speech and denigrating religious teachings.
The Syrian Revolution
Since the Syrian Conflict started on 2011,Baghajati publishes articles concerning the situation in Syria, mostly in Al-Hayat , and in Al-Quds Al-Arabi.
Tarafa Baghajati is against the government of Bashar al-Assad and support "a pluralistic and democratic view of Syria". He warns in his In his articles from the confessional tension in Syria and in the Islamic countries, especially between Sunna and Shiia.
Tarafa Baghajati is against sending European fighters to Syria also.
On May 6, 2014 Baghajati had a conference,stated his strong opinion against sending European fighters to Syria.
Education
Baghajati graduated as civil engineer from Polytechnic University of Timișoara in 1986
Awards
The Muslim Austrian Initiative (IMOE) won democracy award by Margaretha Lupac Stiftung in 2008.
On February 2016 Tarafa received the Golden Medal of the Province of Vienna at the event 10 years of Muslim commitment against Female genital mutation (FGM).
Personal life
He has been married to Carla Amina Baghajati since 1990 and has four children.