Day: June 18, 2009

— Souad Sbai gets death threats, charged with being an “apostate”…

Italy: MP in court to defend herself against death ‘fatwa’ — Souad Sbai
— AKI reports: “An Italian MP and Muslim women’s rights activist was due to give evidence to a court on Thursday over death threats allegedly made against her in a ‘fatwa’ or religious edict. Souad Sbai, MP for the ruling conservative People of Freedom party, was due to attend the court in the northern Italian city of Bologna as witness.”
— “‘I am today in Bologna to defend myself against a death ‘fatwa’ issued against me, for which I had to live in fear for quite some time,’ said Sbai in an interview with Adnkronos International (AKI).”
— “Akrane H., is accused of having issued the death threat in 2007 and accused Sbai of taking advantage of immigrants for personal gain.”
— AKI reports that Akrane H. wrote in a letter to Sbai: “I call on God to act against you, in a way that he will expose you. You are a very bad woman, begin to pray to God, leave work for men. I have heard very bad things about you and you have thus been exposed as a ‘massihia’ (Christian).”
— “The claim by Akrane is an accusation of apostasy, which under Islamic law calls for the death penalty, which can be carried out by any Muslim at any time”
— Related Reports:
— April 1, 2009: Italy MP Gets Death Threats From Muslim Radicals
—- “Sbai has lived in Italy for 30 years and is the head of the Association of Moroccan Women in Italy, which campaigns for women’s rights and gives legal advice to victims of abuse”
— February 4, 2009: Moderate Muslims to report polygamy in Italy: Sbai
— July 15, 2008: Italy grapples with polygamy
— “‘They are kept in a kind of ghetto,’ Sbai said.”
— August 6, 2007: ‘Honor killing’ in Italy spurs quest for justice
—- “When the preliminary hearing in the ‘honor killing’ trial for the murder of 20-year-old Hina Saleem adjourned in late June, Moroccan-born Souad Sbai was on the scene.”
—- “‘We want justice for Hina and we ask that her dreams of freedom and her sacrifice should not be forgotten,’ said Sbai, president of the Rome-based Italian Association of Moroccan Women.”