Excerpt:
A prominent Italian convert to Islam, Hamza Piccardo, says his 25-year-old son Gabriele has been forced to withdraw as a conservative candidate in next month's local elections in the northern Italian city of Imperia because of his religion.
"My son has been discriminated against because he is a Muslim," Piccardo told Adnkronos International (AKI).
"Setting aside the affection I have for my son, what has happened is the result of very serious discrimination against an Italian citizen, which has an entirely religious character," said Piccardo.