National Campaign to increase age of custody critical of HISC

Following the moves by the National Campaign to Increase the Age of Custody for the Shiite Sect in support of Fatmeh Hamzeh who was jailed and later released for refusing to give up her son, the Campaign issued a statement two days ago, responding to an earlier statement by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council (HISC) in relation to its main demand to raise the age of the Shiite mother’s custody of her children in the Jaafari courts. In its statement the Campaign expressed its dismay vis-à-vis the attitude of arrogance and contempt of HISC. The statement went on to say that the Council want to give the false impression of being an “idyllic and fair apparatus”, at a time when Sharia judges should strive to a better understanding of family related problems and act to lifting injustice against women, while adding that increasing the age of custody falls within the powers of the Shiite Council. The statement, on the other hand, emphasized that its members have no premeditated intentions and do not receive funding support from foreign, Arab or even from local organizations. It noted that the demand of the Campaign is largely based on current ‘fatwas’ of Shiite scholars, as well as laws on custody of children in force in other muslin countries. (As Safir, November 15, 2016)

 

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