From Sydney's Occupied Territories: Sheik and a Nurse charged over Female Genital Mutilation

Sheik charged over female mutilation

Mark Morri, Crime Editor 
The Daily Telegraph
September 13, 2012 2:40PM

A SHEIK and retired nurse have been charged in relation to the genital mutilation of two young girls in Sydney.

Police arrested the Sheik, 56, from Auburn and the 68-year-old nurse earlier today.

The children’s parents were charged last Friday with two counts of female mutilation.

NSW Police Force’s Sex Crimes Squad began investigating the allegations earlier this year and set up Strike Force Longfield and have been been working closely with NSW Health and the Department of Family and Community Services.

Police will allege the two girls had the procedure, which is also known as female circumcision, performed on them in NSW when they were aged six and seven.

Female genital mutilation is illegal in NSW, with it also an offence to take a NSW resident overseas to have the procedure performed.

The 56-year-old man was arrested earlier today and has been charged with two counts of accessory after the fact of female genital mutilation; 

and hindering investigation of serious indictable offence. He was refused bail to face Burwood Local Court today.

Also arrested today was a 68-year-old woman who has been charged with two counts of prohibition of female genital mutilation.

Police will allege the woman performed the procedure on the two girls.

She has been granted conditional bail to face Campbelltown Local Court on Wednesday 3 October 2012.

A 42-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were arrested on Friday 7 September and charged with two counts each of female genital mutilation. 

They were granted bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court on 26 September 2012.

Investigations by Strike Force Longfield are continuing, and police are also appealing for anyone with information about female genital mutilation to come forward.

The mutilation is unlikely to be an isolated case, NSW Family and Community Services and Minister Pru Goward says.

Ms Goward told reporters the investigation was triggered by an anonymous tip-off to her office, and she understood it to be the first time in NSW 
someone has been charged with female genital mutilation.

She would not say if the circumcision of the two girls was for cultural or religious reasons, but added it was "unlikely'' to be an isolated incident.

"That's why the rules were changed in 1994, because I believe that the state was aware that this was a distinct possibility,'' Ms Goward told 
reporters at NSW parliament.

"It is disappointing in a way that it has taken this long for there to be a case where there was sufficient evidence collected to be able to press charges and make arrests.''

Ms Goward said female genital mutilation was an "abhorrent practice'' and "a form of child abuse''.

"It is illegal, and whilst there might be cultural practices acceptable to some communities in NSW it remains the case that it is illegal and that the full force of the law will be brought to bear,'' Ms Goward said.

She would not reveal where the two girls were being cared for, or who was caring for them, but said ``they are safe, and not at risk of further harm''.

"My department have been involved in this all the way along and we've certainly made all the necessary arrangements we believe are in order to ensure these children are safe,'' she said.


Genital mutilation not tolerated: Goward

By Isabel Hayes and Adam Bennett 
Daily Telegraph
September 13, 2012 6:26PM

THE NSW government has warned that female genital mutilation will not be tolerated, after a man charged over the circumcision of two young girls appeared in a Sydney court.

Shabbir Vaziri, 56, appeared before Burwood Local Court on Thursday charged with two counts of being an accessory after the genital mutilation of the girls, who were aged six and seven at the time.

He is one of four people charged over the alleged female circumcision, which occurred in an unspecified location in NSW in the past 18 months.

The two young girls were unlikely to be isolated cases, NSW Family and Community Services and Minister Pru Goward told reporters.

Ms Goward said the investigation leading to the charges was triggered by an anonymous tip-off to her office.

It is understood to be the first time someone has been charged with female genital mutilation in NSW.

Ms Goward would not say if the circumcisions were for cultural or religious reasons, but she added the case was "unlikely" to be an isolated incident.

She described female genital mutilation as an "abhorrent practice" and a form of child abuse.

"It is illegal, and whilst there might be cultural practices acceptable to some communities in NSW, it remains the case that it is illegal and that the full force of the law will be brought to bear," Ms Goward said.

A 68-year-old woman was charged on Thursday with carrying out the procedure and will face Campbelltown Local Court on October 3.

A 42-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were arrested last Friday and each charged with two counts of female genital mutilation.

They were granted bail to appear in Parramatta Local Court on September 26.

The court heard Vaziri, from Auburn, had no prior convictions and had close ties to the community.

"The defendant has no previous record and is a law-abiding citizen," his lawyer, Hussein Karimjae, told the court.

Vaziri's bail application was opposed by the police prosecutor, who said he posed a flight risk.

The court heard Vaziri held an Indian passport and was about to fly to India when he was arrested.

Magistrate Christopher Longley noted that if convicted, Vaziri would probably be jailed.

But he granted bail under "stringent" conditions, including a $20,000 bond.

"To the overwhelming majority of citizens, this is a most serious set of circumstances," the magistrate said.

Ms Goward would not reveal where the two girls were or who was caring for them, but said "they are safe, and not at risk of further harm".