A mother in Australia has been sentenced to at least a year in prison for coercing her daughter into a forced marriage with a man who later killed her. Sakina Muhammad Jan, in her late 40s, was found guilty of forcing Ruqia Haidari, 21, to marry Mohammad Ali Halimi, 26, in 2019, in exchange for a small payment.
Just six weeks after the wedding, Halimi murdered his new bride. He is currently serving a life sentence for the crime. Despite pleading not guilty, Jan was found to have placed "intolerable pressure" on her daughter, leading to the forced marriage.
Forced marriage laws were enacted in Australia in 2013 and carry a maximum sentence of seven years jail. There are several pending cases, but Jan is the first to be sentenced for the crime.
Jan is an Afghan Hazara refugee who fled persecution from the Taliban and migrated to regional Victoria with her five-children in 2013.
Mother 'Abused' Her Power
Jan was accompanied by some 15 family and Hazara community members in Melbourne's County Court on Monday, some of whom wept as Judge Fran Dalziel sentenced her to three years in prison.
The judge granted Jan a recognisance order, allowing her to walk free after 12 months if she committed not to commit any more offences, according to ABC News.
Jan's lawyers claimed she endured "enduring grief" over her daughter's murder but continued to maintain her innocence.
In sentencing remarks, Judge Dalziel said Jan had "abused" her power as a mother. "It must be made clear to everyone in our country that forced marriage is against the law and forcing someone to take part in a marriage against their will leads to significant consequences for the offender," Judge Dalziel said.
Judge Dalziel acknowledged that Jan believed she was working in the best interests of her daughter, but stated, "You knew it was wrong to force a person to marry".
