Posted: 10/30/2009 at 6:43pm | IP Logged

Rifqa Barry and her parents, Aysha and Mohamed

Judge Compromises Christian Teen's Freedom of Association

by Aimee Herd, Breaking Christian News

COLUMBUS, OH - In a previous report on Rifqa Bary—the Ohio teen who had converted from Islam to Christianity, and fled to Florida as she felt her life was in danger from an honor killing by her father—the Florida judge had ordered Rifqa's parents to present immigration documents to the court before the girl could be sent back to Ohio.

However, according to a report on Bary's website, a "behind the scenes" deal was said to have been cut where the Florida court would drop the contempt of court issue regarding [the Bary's] immigration situation in exchange for an assurance that they would leave Rifqa alone and let her stay in foster care for the next 9 months until she is 18.

According to the report, the deal was made because Rifqa's parents are said to be illegal immigrants who came to America from Sri Lanka, in order for Rifqa to receive a medical procedure on her eye. Rifqa claims she never received the treatment.

The website article continues by pointing out that once Rifqa had been sent back to Ohio, her parents fired their attorney, who had crafted the deal, thus nullifying the agreement to stay away from their daughter.

As of Tuesday, October 27th, Rifqa was reportedly put into foster care in Ohio. According to Eric Fenner, the executive director of Franklin County Children Services, and the person who is said to be in charge of Rifqa's protection, stated that he "has no reason to believe that Rifqa wouldn't be safe with her parents."

In addition to being returned to Ohio state custody, Rifqa now must abide by a set of rules that severely curtail her communication with the outside world through her cell phone or her Facebook account.

Jim Zorn, a Children Services attorney noted, "What we want to restrict is the other people, the other organizations, the other forces, that have interjected themselves into this case inappropriately, and has caused the additional problems that we've seen."

The article on Rifqa Bary's website, written by Jamal Jivanjee, is in disagreement to Zorn, saying that "solitary confinement" is exactly what Rifqa's parents wanted as they feel she's been "brainwashed" into Christianity.

Says Jivanjee, "While Rifqa was being protected in Florida, they repeatedly tried to separate Rifqa from other Christians that she leaned on for strength and encouragement. Rifqa's Muslim parents have been saying from the beginning that they don't believe that Rifqa became a Christian on her own accord, rather they believe that her real problem is that she has been brainwashed by other people through Facebook and over the phone."

Link

Source:  RifqaBary.com