The Charity Commission has concluded that a former trustee of the Charr Yarr Welfare Foundation Limited was involved in extremist activity
Today (9 April 2024), the Charity Commission has concluded its statutory inquiry Charr Yarr Welfare Foundation Limited.
The charity was set up to promote education and the relief of poverty. It also provides funds to a non-profit organisation registered in Pakistan.
In May 2020, the Commission opened an inquiry into the charity after it identified serious concerns about its governance and financial management.
The inquiry was opened following a period of regulatory engagement with the charity’s then trustees, which included issuing the trustees with an Action Plan and an Official Warning which were not fully complied with.
During the inquiry, investigators became aware of statements made by one of the charity’s trustees at the time, Mr Z Mashadi, in videos published online.
In these videos, Mr Z Mashadi was seen inciting religious violence, advocating the murder of blasphemers and denigrating specific Islamic faiths. The Commission considered these statements to be a consistent pattern of behaviour which met the government’s 2011 definition of extremism. This, in part, led to the Commission taking regulatory action to disqualify Mr Z Mashadi from his position as a trustee of the charity.
The inquiry also found financial mismanagement, including that:
The Commission used its powers to disqualify all three former trustees, Mr Z Mashadi, Mrs M Mosvi and Mr A Mashadi for 5 years, 2.5 years and 2.5 years respectively.
Joshua Farbridge, Head of Compliance Visits and Inspections at the Commission, said:
The full inquiry report can be read here.
ENDS
Notes to Editors
Press Office
Email pressenquiries@charitycommission.gov.uk
Out of hours press office contact number: 07785 748787