Emad Kaky, who last month (September 2024) was convicted of forced marriage and conspiring to commit female genital mutilation (FGM) against a young girl, has today been jailed for four-and-a-half years.
Kaky, 47, was sentenced on Thursday 3rd October at Nottingham Crown Court. In sentencing, Judge Nirmal Shant said there had been an element of “cultural pressure” behind the offending, but that Kaky had previously been able to resist cultural pressure when he himself had married for love, rather than someone chosen for him, who he did not wish to marry.
His plans to send the young girl to Iraq to be subjected to FGM and forced into a marriage were uncovered by a witness, who arranged for her to travel back to the UK and reported Kaky to the police.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence that he had booked and paid for the trip to Iraq while living in Nottingham and WhatsApp messages from his phone also showed that he intended for the young girl to be subjected to FGM and forced into marriage.
Afrah Qassim, Savera UK CEO and Founder, said: “We welcome the sentence handed down to Emad Kaky today and believe that it sends a strong signal that FGM and forced marriage are harmful and abusive practices and a violation of human rights.
“The sentence indicates that involvement in these practices, either in their direct perpetration or in conspiracy to commit them is illegal and that perpetrators will face strong and serious consequences.
“It was claimed that ‘cultural pressure’ was behind the offences, but as the judge rightly pointed out, Kaky has been able to resist this ‘pressure’ when it impacted his own life.
“This fully supports Savera UK’s view that there is no connection between culture and harmful practices like FGM and forced marriage. Culture is used as an excuse by perpetrators of these crimes – but as this case highlights, there can be no excuse for abuse.
“Our thoughts are with the young girl at the centre of this case and we hope that she can move forward in her life safe from abuse and harm.”
Read more on the case here.