My religion prevents me from paying taxes, and from working any job at all, so you all can pay me out of the public coffers to sit around and commit crimes.

Could you brits pleeeeeeze grow a spine? Seriously, I'm thinking about imigrating over there, just so I too can join the legions mooching off you.

cheryl, chicago, il usa

Why its always the Muslims who cause problems. You never hear Hindus, Jews, Buddists or any Christian denomination (sorry if I left out any other religion) winging all the time with the excuse its 'against my religion'.

We follow the laws of the Muslim countries when we there.

john, Chester, uk

If Muslims don't like the Western values, culture, law etc. etc they should go and live in Muslim countries. There are plenty around to have a choice.

john, aberdeen, uk

Perhaps the local imam could talk to the prisoner in the same way that a Catholic priest can hear confessions in private. Then the imam might strike a bargain with the offender; if you refuse sex therapy for your problem on the grounds of religious observance, then absolution from the crime involves the prisoner, or the prisoner's family recompensing fully (with an apology) to the victim concerned.

No codes of conduct from any faith should be used as an excuse by offenders for abuse of women or sex crimes against them. There are rights as well as responsibilities, otherwise Islam is not a religion of peace, or willingness to serve God, as claimed), but merely a convenient excuse for brutality to be exploited by the irresponsible and feckless.

Anyone who does use a religious code as an excuse to avoid the due process of law should be exposed for the charlatan that they are.

Bob Ericson, Tewkesbury, Glos,

Damnit, enough's enough.. I'm turning Rastafari and I'm off to smoke a big fat spliff outside my local police station...

mount, dorset, gb

Doesn't islam have the alternative of cutting things off instead? Perhaps they'd prefer that to a civilised chat?

KR, Stockport,

Seems the archbishop was right then...

Bill, Glasgow,

I believe that all prisoners already have the choice not to opt into theraputic programmes, with the consequence that this will affect the amount of time they remain in prison i.e. it is very likely not to be decreased. Special rules pandering to the religious are unneccessary.

Steven, London, UK

If a muslim, or anybody else, does not wish to discuss their crime then the answer is simple - Don't commit the crime in the first place.

The suggested approach leads down a lot of unacceptable avenues. If a muslim is exempt from this treatment then a christian, who is not, can put forward a case for discrimination on religious grounds. Parole is based on showing remorse for ones crime. If a muslim cannot discuss the crime then early release on licence will not be available - same comment about religious discrimination comes into play.

The answer is simple - the laws of this land take precendence. If you don't like that then move elsewhere.

Chris, Ashford, Middx, UK

In all honesty I care not about their rights as a sex offender, they don't have any. Are we saying that a Muslim peodophile can refuse any course of treatment? There's no differentiation because you are a muslim, christian or whatever religion you elect to follow. As a sex offender you are a pervert and frankly we pander to much to religious sensitivities and political correctness in this country and need to take a firmer and more direct course of action. Either discuss the crime and stay inside or failing that a damn good birching might come in as a useful deterent against sexual deviants of all religious bearings. As for being a Muslim, get real that's just a convenient excuse thats rolled out for all manner of crimes committed by these people.

Paul, London,

Thats fine, if they have not been successfully rehabilitated they can be kept locked up forever.

Michael, Worthing, West Sussex

Much as I am in favour of people having their religions respected, I think we need to draw a line here.

If a person commits a sex offence they can rightly expect to be put on an offender treatment programme amongst other things. Opting out I do not believe to be a just option. The law as it stands might say otherwise, but allowing someone to refuse treatment because of their private beliefs is not acceptable. They might have considered this before they committed the offence. There are plenty of things in other religions that are not allowed in the UK and I do not see why this 'opt out' should be tolerated. This unfairly discriminates against other religious groups who would have to attend.

I think that we should remember our liberalism/secularism and ensure all are treated without prejudice, but also treated fairly, and this means that any sex offender suitable for treatment, should be put on a treatment programme regardless of private beliefs and non-compliance punished.

RJ, Woking, Surrey

I agree with the above how dare they suggest this course of action. it is absurd, they should not be exempt from treatment for any reason let alone religion. Why is the law so sensitive towards offenders, it should be sensitive towards the victims. This is absurd, if labour is prepared to do this kind of thing i for one will not vote to keep them in office. despicable.

Lewis, Northampton, UK

muslims have been making up their "rules" as they go along for years in Britain - none of them having any basis in the Koran or Islamic teaching. These "rules" always seem to apply when they either don't want to do something or when they decide to complain or even sue when their is some perceived slight against them, so this latest claim comes as no real supprise!

jacky wallis, Khobar, Saudi Arabia

If this report really is an accurate reflection of the situation then the remedy is both obvious and easy. Make the refusniks stay in jail unless and until they have fully participated in the treatment etc required by their sentences. These are SEX OFFENDERS! They are abhored by ALL of us. If and when they appeal against such retention by virtue of their "human rights" and manage to flout our pathetic human rights legislation thereby (I'm still awaiting the Human Responsibilities Legislation!) change the legislation - would any of our increasingly ineffective politicians dare refuse!?

Terry, Chichester , UK

Surely the remedy is quite simple. Imprison them under the imprisonment for public protection rule, offer then counselling, when they refuse keep them locked up until they accept.
Or was Rown Williams simply pointing out the facts - one law for Muslims another for the rest?

Eddie Reader, birmingham, england

How do you define "open discussion"? So does this mean that they can lie about their criminal record to their employers and co.? How would that work if they were a teacher?!

Chris, Cambridge,

Bob in Singapore and Ian in Solihull,

I am afraid you are mistaken, it is not against their religion if the victim was non moslem.
Captured non moslem women are "right hand possessions" ie. booty captured and a victors spoil.

Qur'an 33:51 "You may have whomever you desire; there is no blame."

Tabari VIII:117 "Dihyah had asked the Messenger for Safiyah when the Prophet chose her for himself. Muhammad gave Dihyah her two cousins instead." Ishaq:511 "When he protested, wanting to keep Safiyah for himself, the Apostle traded for Safiyah by giving Dihyah her two cousins. The women of Khaybar were distributed among the Muslims."

Islam is unique in that it allows the rape of "captured" non moslem women.

I suggest you Google "Safiyah", she was a young jewish girl who's husband and family had been murdered by mohammed.

The experience of rape is common amongst non moslem women when they meet the warriors of allah.
Darfur, South Sudan, South Thailand, Kashmir, UK, Sweden.

Jaspal Singh Dhillon, Southall, UK

This story was brushed off on Ch.4's "The Wright Stuff" (of course) as just the word of one prisoner with no basis to anything actually happening.

They failed to mention that the prison service’s Muslim adviser had taken up the cause though OR the fact the PC, disgraceful Prison Service has stated “We are seeking to ensure that the policy for the sex offender treatment programme is sensitive to the diversity of religions within the prison context.”

Which means only one thing really.

Dave B, Stoke, UK

We should prescribe a weekly whipping as an alternative to the talking therapy. I'm sure that wouldn't be a problem in Islam. I don't mind either way - it would be their choice.

Foxy, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

I have just made up a religion that prohibits payment of tax. Why on earth should you take me seriously?

Tim, Bath,

The law is the law. Neither Islam nor Christianity nor any other religious belief should trump its requirements. Yet the rule of law in Britain now gives way to religious sensitivity. First the Muslim in Scotland spared a driving ban for doing over double the speed limit, apparently partly because of problems he would have commuting between his two wives (is bigamy no longer illegal?). Now the Prison Service trying to accommodate Muslim prisoners whose beliefs didn't prevent them committing sex crimes but apparent do prevent them accepting rehabilitation. This society has gone completely insane.

John, London, UK

As in Rome do as the Romans do........... OR one law for one and one law for another..................

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

Is Islam supposed to be a code of beliefs or a code of excuses? There should be absolutely no religiously based reasons for sex offenders to avoid treatment - this would make a mockery of the justice system.

Chris W., Nottingham, UK

This is ridiculous.
The sex offences that they committed were against their religion.
Islam obviously means nothing to them.
So they should get the full treatment required of sex offenders in the UK.

Ian, Solihull, UK

They have lost their rights to complain having been found guilty of a sex offence. Surely it is more against their rligion to actually commit the crime than to talk about it so they cannot be that religious can they. This is cretinous pandering to people abusing the system in the most blatant ways. They have commited the crime so they should be rehabilitated, no matter what their excuses are.

Bob, Singapore,