150 Women Face Adultery Flogging on Maldives

By Andrew Buncombe, Asia Correspondent Almost 150 women living in the Maldives face a public flogging for indulging in extra-marital sex after being convicted by the Muslim country's conservative courts. Around 50 men also face the punishment. Earlier this month, an 18-year-old woman fainted after she was flogged 100 times having been found guilty of having sex with two different men. The woman, who was pregnant at the time of sentencing, had her punishment deferred until after the birth of her child and the court said the teenager's pregnancy was proof of her guilt. In contrast, the accused men were acquitted, with one of them escaping punishment...

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Posted in: Society

Teacher arrested on charges of having homosexual relationship with student resumes teaching

Haveeru Daily, Jul 04, 2009, A male teacher from the Haa Alifu atoll Madhrasa who was arrested earlier on suspicion of having a homosexual relationship with a 14-year-old student in the school, has resumed teaching at the school after two weeks.  The Deputy Principal of the School, Mohamed Mukhthar, confirmed the news on Wednesday, saying that the teacher had resumed his job after telling the school that the Maldives Police Service had dropped the charges against him due to lack of evidence. Mukhthar further said that the teacher had said he would submit the Police report about the incident to the school within two days or so.  “We are not yet sure whether he was found guilty or not by the Police or whether they released him,” the Deputy Principal...

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Posted in: News

Indian Muslim leaders rage against legalising homosexuality, say it is against Islamic law

After Deoband, other Muslim leaders condemn homosexuality 1 Jul 2009,PTI NEW DELHI: Amid government moves for a re-look at criminalising homosexuality, several Muslim leaders have said any attempt to legally permit unnatural sex is an attack on religious and moral values. “Legalisation of homosexuality is an attack on Indian religious and moral values,” over a dozen prominent Muslim religious leaders said in a statement. The statement has been endorsed by Maulana Jalaluddin Omari, President of the Jamaat-e Islami Hind, Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasimi, Rector of Darul Uloom Waqf, Deoband, Maulana Mufti Mukarram Ahmad, Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid Fatehpuri, among others. “We are shocked to see reports in the media that the Union government is considering the repeal of Section 377 of the...

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Posted in: Politics / Religion