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| Great White North | |
| Montreal man refuses religious divorce to Muslim wife he stabbed | |
| 2007-01-26 | |
| The Crown says a Montreal man's refusal to grant his Muslim wife a Shariah divorce should be considered an aggravating factor when he is sentenced Friday for stabbing her and their baby daughter. Other than that, there is nothing the courts can do for the woman, whose husband pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated assault to avoid attempted murder charges. That, say advocates, is the problem with the refusal to recognize Shariah law in the Canadian judicial system. Observant Muslim women, especially those who emigrated from Islamic countries, feel they have nowhere to turn, said Shahina Siddiqui, executive director of the Winnipeg-based Islamic Social Services Association. "Many, many times we see this," Siddiqui said.
In the current case, the 31-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his daughter, attacked his wife in their Montreal apartment in February 2006, stabbing her several times, including in the face. He then stabbed the infant girl twice in the stomach. She spent 10 days in hospital recovering. The man testified at his sentencing hearing earlier this week that he will not agree to a divorce under Shariah law in Canada. "The issue of the divorce will be decided over there," he told the judge, referring to their home country of Lebanon. He also denied he needed treatment for his violent behaviour. The Crown has asked for a seven-year sentence, citing the refusal to grant the Shariah divorce as an aggravating factor. The defence has suggested a three-year sentence. The woman earlier told the court she would like to return to her family in Lebanon but without the religious divorce and worries she could be forced to return to her husband or face charges of abducting her own daughter. "They had a religious marriage in Lebanon and if she returns she could have problems," Crown lawyer Sophie Lavergne told the judge. | |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #6 So what prosecutor asshole allowed him to bargain his way down to aggravated assault ? Anyone low enough to stab his daughter in the stomach deserves to die slowly and painfully. |
| Posted by: wxjames 2007-01-26 14:56 |
| #5 "Many, many times we see this," Siddiqui said. If you belong to a religion that wonÂ’t grant you a divorce after your hubby tries to kill you just because he doesnÂ’t agree with it might be a hint that itÂ’s time to shop around for a new religion. Just a suggestion. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2007-01-26 14:31 |
| #4 The woman earlier told the court she would like to return to her family in Lebanon but without the religious divorce and worries she could be forced to return to her husband or face charges of abducting her own daughter. "They had a religious marriage in Lebanon and if she returns she could have problems," Crown lawyer Sophie Lavergne told the judge. Cuz its always a good idea to hurry home to a backwards ass shithole that might force me and my daughter to live with the man that tried to kill us. |
| Posted by: Crusader 2007-01-26 13:54 |
| #3 Maybe my reading is sloppy but the whole article is clear the wife is Muslim but seems to dance around the fact of the husband's religion. |
| Posted by: rjschwarz 2007-01-26 13:33 |
| #2 That, say advocates, is the problem with the refusal to recognize Shariah law in the Canadian judicial system. Observant Muslim women, especially those who emigrated from Islamic countries, feel they have nowhere to turn, said Shahina Siddiqui, executive director of the Winnipeg-based Islamic Social Services Association. "Many, many times we see this," Siddiqui said. I'm not sure how this case supports the above statement. Since hubby refused to give her a Shariah divorce it would seem that the Canadians recognizing shariah law would also have refused a divorce. Further, the man appears to believe that he is within his rights to stab his wife and daughter. If that's allowed under Shariah then why are "advocates" advocating it? |
| Posted by: DoDo 2007-01-26 13:16 |
| #1 Hopefully when his bunk buddies find out aboot the baby stabbing they'll make her a widow. |
| Posted by: BrerRabbit 2007-01-26 11:45 |