Muslim woman faces possible jail after refusing to remove veil, stand for NSW judge
The wife of a convicted Islamic State recruiter is now facing jail for refusing to remove her veil and stand for a District Court judge.
NSW authorities have given the green light to prosecute Moutia Elzahed, after she stated she wouldn’t “stand for anyone except Allah” when appearing before Judge Audrey Balla in December.
Elzahed is one of two women married to convicted criminal and Islamic State extremist Hamdi Alqudsi.
Convicted Islamic State extremist Hamdi Alqudsi. Source: AAP
Alqudsi was jailed last September for six years after arranging seven men to travel to Syria to fight with terrorist groups.
Elzahed had been in court to sue NSW Police over alleged violence during a raid on her family’s Revesby home in 2014.
Elzahed hid from media at an earlier court appearance. Source: 7 News
Judge Balla had ruled Elzahed could not take the witness stand while she wore a niqab, and offered to close the court, or have the mother-of-two give evidence via videolink.
But Elzahed refused to remove her veil or stand for Judge Balla, and is now set to be charged with the new offence of disrespecting the court.
Elzahed's husband Hamdi Alqudsi. Source: AAP
In a statement NSW Solicitor-General Michael Sexton said contempt of court proceedings against Ms Elzahed would not go ahead, but confirmed he authorised proceedings to start under the new disrespectful behaviour in court law.
The law came into effect in NSW last September and makes it an offence for someone to intentionally behave disrespectfully to a court or judge during a case.
Elzahed could face a fine of up to $1100 or spend up to 14 days in jail if convicted.
News break - February 10
