Case of Islamic scholar promoting female circumcision submitted to Majlis committee

A case has been submitted to the People’s Majlis Committee on Human Rights and Gender to investigate the issue of Dr. Mohamed Iyaz encouraging Female Genital Mutilation.

The case was submitted to the Majlis committee by MP for south-Galolhu constituency MP Meekail Naseem.

Dr. Iyaz, assistant professor at Maldives National University and Islamic scholar, posted a Tweet on Wednesday, attaching a link that shared medical benefits of female circumcision in Islam.

MP Meekail, submitting the case, noted that Dr. Iyaz has encouraged FGM and stressed that someone who supports such dangerous and risky actions filling responsible positions at state institutions poses threats to women across the country and poses challenges to the protection of women’s rights.

With this being said, the lawmaker has urged the Human Rights and Gender Committee to look into the matter.

In a reply to the Islamic scholar’s Tweet, Gender Minister Aishath Mohamed Didi wrote that Islamic teachings do not back the act of female circumcision and that it has never been done in the history of Maldives.

Dr. Iyaz was on the receiving end of immense public criticism for the Tweet, to which he responded that it was based on research and that such issues will not be resolved through submitting cases at Majlis and pressuring authorities to dismiss him from his position.

The Islamic scholar had been suspended for a period of 14 days due to a similar incident in the past where he made a post on social media. Following his suspension Dr. Iyaz had filed a case at the Employment Tribunal, against MNU.

Dr. Iyaz has also been vocal in criticizing the authorities’ decision to mandate social distancing at mosques due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

This comes at a time the Human Rights Commission of Maldives (HRCM) has revealed that the culture of female circumcision has been reintroduced in the Maldives, according to research. As such, speaking on RaajjeTV’s “Fala Surukhee” programme, HRCM’s Commissioenr Shifaath Abdul Razzak had revealed that their research points to the fact that female circumcision has been introduced in the Maldives, and encouragement of the act has also been increasing.

In November 2020, Attorney General Ibrahim Riffath had announced efforts to declare Female Genital Mutilation a criminal offense in the Maldives.

UNICEF studies have also indicated that every one out of 10 Maldivian women have undergone the procedure.