First conviction for forced marriage under new Australian law
In a landmark case in Victoria, Australia, a woman has been convicted of forcing her teenage daughter to marry a man who ultimately killed her. The case, reported by The Guardian, sheds light on the brutal realities of forced marriage and its classification as a form of modern slavery.
First-ever conviction
“It’s a deterrent message. The community needs to know you can’t do this. You can’t operate in this manner in Australia. It’s not how we do things.” – Darren Renton, prosecutor
Sakina Muhammad Jan, 48, was found guilty of coercing her 20-year-old daughter to marry an older Perth man in 2019, who murdered her in January 2020. Her sentence will be announced on July 29, 2024. The husband in question was sentenced to life imprisonment in Western Australia for the murder, with a minimum of 19 years before eligibility for parole.