Hat tip Breitbart
The Swedish TV investigative journalism program, Uppdrag Granskning, has revealed that several Shia imams in the country have performed so-called "pleasure marriages" involving prostitutes so that men can engage in casual sex. As a result, two imams have been fired and 12 religious leaders as well by the national association that governs Shia Islamic associations.
Here is a report by Breitbart.
Below is a translation of the SVT report on the matter that is linked in the Breitbart article, The accompanying video is being translated into English sub-titles and will be added shortly. The translation is by Fousesquawk.
https://www.svt.se/nyheter/granskning/ug/efter-avslojande-om-sexkop-muslimska-ledare-sparkas
Caption:
Why 12 Shia Islamic religious leaders have had to leave their posts. Hear Chairman Haider Ibrahim on how "pleasure marriages" were abused. Photo SVT
After revelations about buying sex- Muslim leaders fired
Updated 31 January 2023 Published 30 January 2023
Assignment Investigation
Shia Muslim leaders have conducted marriages of women purchased by men for casual sex, which Uppdrag (Assignment) revealed in the spring. Now imams and religious leaders revealed in the reportage are gone from their duties. "People have abused temporary marriages," says Haider Ibrahim, chairman of the Shia Islamic Association in Sweden.
Temporary marriages or so-called "pleasure marriages" are a practice within Shia Islam that is officially described as shorter relations within the framework of religion. But Uppdrag's investigation was able to reveal that it also functions as a kind of religious-sanctioned prostitution. (This is) where imams are paid to conduct marriages of vulnerable women in "pleasure marriages" to men who want to buy casual sex.
Stopped contributions
The revelation caused a big reaction. One who reacted was Police Chief Petra Stenkula in Malmö.
"If I had led the preliminary investigation, I would have probably written a report on human traffic," she said in connection with the investigation.
The umbrella organization, Shia Islamic Association in Sweden (ISS), reacted and froze the membership and stopped contributions for 12 identified congregations. They also began their own investigation, which is now finished.
"We have asked questions to all the congregations, and imams, and spoken with our members. We have gone deep into what occurred," says Haider Ibrahim, chairman of ISS.
The consequences are that 2 imams in the Stockholm area and 12 religious leaders in other parts of the country have left their duties. According to Haider Ibrahim, this has nothing to do with any systemic sex trafficking, but rather with certain persons who misbehaved.
"There were many in your congregations who abused this. How can that not have been systemic"?
"We refer to our congregational policy. We have concluded that they have no such policy that is shown in the program," says Haider Ibrahim.
Keep state contribution
During the years 2019 to 2021, the Shia Islamic Association in Sweden received a total of over 14 million (kronors) in contributions. The absolutely largest portion comes from the Authority for State Contributions to Faith Associations. They say they have continued faith in ISS and are satisfied with the action plan of activities that is presented.
"We will follow up so that they do what they should," says the authorities director, Isak Reichel.
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*Update: As promised above here is the SVT video in the above article. Hat tip to Vlad Tepes and Gates of Vienna. Translation by Fousesquawk.
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