The Swedish authorities arrested a Malaysian couple for allegedly hitting their son who did not perform his prayers.
The father, Azizul Raheem Awalludin, the director of Tourism Malaysia in Stockholm, and his wife Shalwati Nurshal, a secondary school teacher, reportedly struck the child on his hands and scolded him when they found out that the child failed to perform his prayers.
Despite not having any obvious signs of bruises, the child’s school teacher noticed that the child felt a bit down. When the boy told his teacher what happened at home, the school counsellor was informed and they lodged a report with the Swedish authorities. The Swedes clearly take corporal punishment seriously.
The Star reports that the couple’s four children were removed from school in just one day, before both the parents were arrested and taken into custody. The couple was arrested on December 18 and their remand was extended for another two weeks on Thursday.
According to Swedish law, Azizul and Shalwati may lose custody of their children, even if they were not found guilty. The parents would have to apply to the court if they want their children back.
However, if they are found guilty, they could face a mandatory jail sentence of at least nine months. The couple’s four children are now under the care of a non-Muslim foster home.
