Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
THE FOUR MEMBERS of the Halawa family, who have been detained in Egypt since earlier this month, could find out as early as today if they will be freed.
The Irish siblings have been held in Cairo since being arrested two weeks ago today during Muslim Brotherhood demonstrations protesting the ousting earlier this year of President Mohammed Morsi.
The four – Omaima (21), Fatima (23) and Soumaya (27) and their 17-year-old brother Ibrahim – were detained after security forces stormed a mosque.
They appeared before a prosecutor on Thursday, with lawyers acting for the family requesting they be freed as soon as possible. Afterwards, Khadija Halawa, a sister of the four, said they would find out at the weekend whether they would be freed.
Authorities in Cairo reunited the four ahead of their hearing – moving the three sisters in with their brother at the camp in which he is being detained.
The four are children of Hussein Halawa, the imam of Ireland’s biggest mosque in Clonskeagh, and were on holiday in the Egyptian capital when violence broke out earlier this month.
Protests
Protests have been continuing in the city this week; yesterday, police fired tear gas at dozens of Islamist protesters attending a rally in support of Morsi.
Security forces have rounded up more than 2,000 Islamists, many from Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood movement, since they dispersed two protest camps in a bloody crackdown on 14 August.
More than 1,000 people were killed that day and in ensuing violence, including more than 100 police officers.
The crackdown has severely impacted the Brotherhood’s ability to muster protesters. Only several thousand answered their call for mass rallies on Friday last week.
Morsi himself is being held at a secret location and faces charges related to his 2011 escape from prison and of inciting the death and torture of protesters.
Additional reporting, AFP.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
So the practice of arranged marriages continues… behind closed doors, unless some poor girl is strong enough to report her parents . Very sad ..
But now she can report them. That is why this law was brought in, to make sure that if it does happen, there is a law to help the victims of it.
Some of these girls are as young as 9 and some have been ‘married’ to 70 year old members of their own family. If the girls are ‘strong enough’ try to do anything about it the result is usually an ‘honour killing’ or an acid attack. Provided that the unfortunates have survived FGM.
The law will not be able to protect her from her family .
Did not the Prophet[p on Him] not marry a child of about 9?
No she was 7 but the marriage was consecrated when she was 9. Pbuh.
@mjhint – I think you meant consummated when she was 9. Just in case anyone is in any doubt over the ‘prophet’ and his actions concerning his child bride.
The subcontinent is culturally an extremely backward place. Gang rape, FGM and arranged (aka forced) marriages are commonplace.
The need for a force specifically to tackle this problem in the UK is what happens when a microcosm of that society is created within a modern Western nation.
This is why very gradual, controlled immigration is the only way forward, to avoid ghettoisation and the proliferation of subcultures.
Ireland should waste no time in following suit.
It’s a start but how do you ban something that’s ‘hidden’ & ‘cultural?’ Barbaric practice!
A great day for so many young girls throughout the world that have to endure archaic practices that serve no benefit. People who force their daughters into these sham marriages should be ashamed of themselves.
The law against arranged marriages is for the UK only .
This is definitely a move in the right direction by the British Government. The Irish Government and other Governments all over the world should pass similar legislation and make sure it is enforced.
You don’t seriously think that will stop the practice, FGM (female genital mutilation is against the law but it still goes on)
I have an interest in forced divorce. Let’s see if the Registrar General acts now.
I find interesting the image you have chosen be used in this article…
I was at a forced marriage last weekend. A girl who thought she should get married to the guy she’s doesn’t live cos she was ‘that’ age and daren’t be single. Forced marriages are sad.
have your say