KurdistanObserver.com

Mariwan Halabjaye Takes Refuge In Sweden

Halabjaye the author of the book Sex, Sharia and Women in the History of Islam has been forced to flee to Sweden, reported blogspot.com yesterday.

Halabjaye departed from Sulaimani International Airport. Mala Bakhtiar, a political bureau member of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), was responsible for facilitating Halabjaye's escape.

Halabjaye is in possession of a warrant for his arrest issued by the Sulaimani police department. Halabjaye reportedly intends to use the warrant in an attempt to secure political asylum in Sweden.

 The book is about how Islam is allegedly used to oppress women. "I wanted to prove how oppressed women are in Islam and that they have no rights," said Halabjaye.

The Islamic League of Kurdistan has issued a "conditional" fatwa to kill Halabjaye if he does not repent and apologize for writing his book. The "conditional" nature of the fatal fatwa is uncertain. Halabjaye reported that "a couple of weeks ago in Halabja, the mullahs and scholars said if I go to them and apologize they will give me 80 lashes and then refer me to the fatwa committee to decide if I am to be beheaded. They might forgive me, they might not." As a result, Halabjaye went into hiding with his pregnant wife and three children.

Halabjaye was forced to flee Iraqi-Kurdistan after the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) refused to offer him any protection or to arrest those who threatened his life. "The Kurdish authorities have not provided any protection from threats and fatwas," said Halabjaye, "any moment I am expecting a bullet or a hand grenade to be thrown into where I live."

In response to the Halabjaye affair, the KRG Minister of Religious Issues, Dr. Mohammad Gaznayi, told protestors that according to the law of Iraqi-Kurdistan, "defamation" or "criticizing" religion or religious figures is a crime and its punishment is severe. "We will give those who attack our prophets a sentence so that they can be a lesson for everyone," Gaznayi told protestors.