Man convicted of child cruelty over Shiite whipping ceremony
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A man has been convicted of child cruelty for forcing two boys to whip themselves during a Muslim ceremony, British prosecutors said.
Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, of Eccles, in Salford, Greater Manchester, forced the boys to whip themselves with chains fitted with curved blades at the ends during an annual Shia Muslim ceremony, police said.
The boys, aged 13 and 15, were taken to hospital by their mother suffering from several deep wounds on their backs and multiple slash wounds.
Zaidi had used the Zangeer Zani flail on himself during the ceremony at a Manchester centre in January, before being stopped by other members of the Muslim community. He then forced the boys to flagellate themselves instead.
Community members stepped in again to help the youngsters.
Zaidi was found guilty at Manchester Crown Court of two counts of child cruelty.
He was the first person in England and Wales to be convicted of child cruelty during a ritual ceremony involving flagellation.
He will be sentenced next month.
-Reuters
