Spain: Mother sentenced to 17 years for forced marriage
The court of Cádiz sentenced a Mauritanian woman, Hawa Mint Cheikh, to 17 years in prison for forcing her 14 year old daughter, Selamha Mint Mohamed, to marry a 40 year old man. The mother was convicted of sexual assault, coercion and threats.
The husband, Mokhtar Salem, got 13.5 years in prison for sexual assault, while the father, Mohamed Ould Abdallahi , was acquitted of most charges and sentenced for 18 months for threats.
The verdict might still be appealed by both the prosecution and defense.
The girl was born in Puerto Real (Cadiz) in 1992. Her parents, born in Mauritania, had lived in Spain since the 80s. They have three children, all born in Spain. Selamha is the oldest.
In 2006 the mother and daughter came to Mauritania on vacation. A distant cousin of her father’s wanted to marry her, and offered a dowry for her. The father agreed on the phone from Spain.
The wedding was held in Mauritania and the child was then forced to have sexual relations with her new husband. According to the girl her father threatened her that she would be stoned, and that he would throw the first stone.
But, here it comes…
The family accuses the court of racism and says that this is a cultural misunderstanding.
Meanwhile the neighbors fear that the younger sister, Aicha, also faces the same fate.
I’d like to know why the father still has custody of the younger sister, Aicha.
Tags: child abuse, Spain
