Formerly the well-known leader of the Council on American-Islamic Relations’ Florida chapter, Hassan Shibly resigned after being accused of domestic violence. Since then, several women have come forward with their charges. The claims have been refuted by Hassan Shibly.
Hassan Shibly, a Muslim civil rights activist charged with misconduct and harassment
A well-known Muslim civil rights activist was the subject of rumors of secret marriages, bullying, and sexual harassment for months.
Then, around the end of last year, some of the accusations made against Hassan Hassan Shibly, 34, were well known. Hassan Shibly‘s ex-wife, the mother of their three children, appealed for assistance in a video uploaded to GoFundMe. She said that her violent husband had severed her financial ties.
| “For years, I’ve been in an abusive relationship, and the situation at home has become unbearable,” Imane Sadrati said. “I finally decided to build the courage to start over for my children and I.” |
The claims were stunning due to their content and the fact that a well-known Muslim leader’s private turmoil was made public. Hassan Shibly oversaw the well-known Council on American-Islamic Relations, or CAIR, chapter in Florida for ten years. It is a nonprofit rights watchdog renowned for protecting Muslim civil freedoms in the years following September 11th.
Hassan Shibly left his high-profile position with the Florida chapter of CAIR within 15 days of his estranged wife’s video going viral. In an interview with NPR, Hassan Shibly refuted abuse claims, claiming that during one episode last summer that Sadrati described in court filings, he had twisted her arm, smacked her, and pushed her up against a wall. Additionally, Hassan Shibly refuted all other accusations of wrongdoing.
However, his resignation did not end the situation. After Hassan Shibly left, other women felt empowered to come forward and make their claims of workplace discrimination at the national office and several well-known chapters of CAIR and emotional abuse and sexual assault on his part.
NPR spoke with a dozen Hassan Shibly detractors and looked at internal CAIR records, social media posts, and email correspondence. Together, the stories paint a picture of Hassan Shibly as a guy who freely used his power to intimidate critics and woo women.
Hassan Shibly‘s detractors claim that his alleged activities were hidden by a culture of silence, which was engendered in part by Muslim taboos about publicizing personal scandals and in part by the apprehension that the consequences would incite virulent anti-Muslim animosity.
Former employees claimed that there was little, if any, follow-up action taken when concerned parties submitted accusations to high CAIR officials in Florida and Washington, D.C. They said that as early as 2016, leaders were informed of some of the claims.
Laila Abdelaziz, who worked for Hassan Shibly at the CAIR Florida branch, claimed that one of the reasons for her 2016 resignation was that Hassan Shibly had harassed her sexually. She asserted that she thinks CAIR leaders have not sufficiently addressed the issue, in part because Muslim communities already endure such a constant bombardment of prejudice and occasionally violent anti-Muslim hatred.
It’s challenging to invite more of that when your community is already being attacked, reduced, and demeaned daily, according to Abdelaziz.
“Muslims do turn to them in crisis”
A small group of young Muslim activists in Washington, D.C., decided to combat what they perceived as the rising demonization of Islam in politics and popular culture in 1994.
CAIR is the outcome of their organising.
After almost 30 years, CAIR has expanded into the largest and most well-known Muslim civil rights organisation in the United States, with roughly 33 independently run chapters across the country. Leaders of CAIR appear on television to protect Muslim civil liberties and speak out against anti-Muslim prejudice and government discrimination against Muslim communities.
“There is a certain brand recognizability,” claimed Zareena Grewal, a historical anthropologist at Yale University who has published a great deal on American Muslim groups. She claimed that many CAIR chapters carry out excellent, critically important grassroots work. “Muslims do turn to them in times of crisis.”
Grewal acknowledged that there have nonetheless been growing pains and a lack of accountability. CAIR has had to defend itself against nasty and unfair political attacks that are Islamophobic. It has also experienced problems internally, including obstructing employees’ attempts to organise a union in the national headquarters in 2016.
According to Grewal, “They’ve been very resistant to changing and allowing a new generation of leaders to enter who may have a much deeper commitment to things like reckoning with sexual harassment or gender bias, corruption, and things like unions.”
After leaving the CAIR national board more than ten years ago, Parvez Ahmed has criticised the organisation’s leadership on matters like inclusion and gender parity. The Hassan Shibly case, according to him, presents CAIR with a chance to demonstrate to the community that it serves that “they are doing everything within their power to take these allegations seriously.”
“The leadership of CAIR owes the community an explanation as to who knew what, when, and how those complaints were handled,” added Ahmed.
Hassan Shibly consented to an extended interview with NPR lasting more than two hours on the condition that it not be recorded. He denies ever harming or financially isolating his wife Sadrati.
He offered a picture of himself with a black eye and said that Sadrati wounded him during a struggle. (Police were not notified of the occurrence, and NPR is unable to independently confirm it.) Sadrati disputes this.
He declared, “Her accusations are categorically and blatantly false.” In our lengthy judicial divorce, she is taking advantage of my authority and the legal system.
He pointed out that a hearing was scheduled rather than granting the temporary restraining injunction Sadrati had requested. On the condition that a no-contact order be added to their divorce proceedings, Sadrati withdrew the request for a restraining order, according to court records. A letter from the Florida Department of Children and Families was also released by Hassan Shibly. It claimed that there was no evidence of “intimate partner violence” endangering the kids.
According to Hassan Shibly, the couple split up more than two years ago. According to him, their Islamic-style divorce took place about eight months ago. Following Sadrati’s public accusation of domestic abuse, they officially divorced.
Hassan Shibly claimed that the other accusations of wrongdoing against him, such as workplace sexual harassment and bullying, are part of an effort to “humiliate me and hurt me” and to malign CAIR and his involvement with the group.
I’m at a loss for words, Hassan Shibly said. The majority of the accusations, he claims, “are verifiably false,” and he has “faith that the way I was misrepresented online doesn’t reflect who I am.”
When he and his wife were separated and earlier, with her consent, and when he believed their marriage was largely gone, Hassan Shibly admitted that he did engage in religious marriage contracts with women with whom he was not legally married. He called them courtships and disputes that any of the interactions were illicit or violent.
The majority of religious authorities do not consider a traditional Islamic marriage to be valid unless it is publicly acknowledged, and in regions where it is illegal to have more than one wife, doing so is often frowned upon.
Sadrati declined to speak with NPR for an interview beyond refuting Hassan Shibly‘s countercharges. She claimed that her frantic internet scream for assistance spoke for itself.
“The GoFundMe is there for a reason, an honest reason,” she claimed. “I stand by what I said.”
CAIR’s national headquarters sent a written statement in response to NPR inquiries regarding the allegations involving Hassan Shibly and others, stating that officials “take any allegations of misconduct against our staff or volunteers seriously.” The fact that chapters run separately was also mentioned.
The Florida chapter that Hassan Shibly once oversaw presented his retirement as a part of a succession plan for a leader who wanted to prioritise his family in an online statement following the release of Sadrati’s video. The claims of Sadrati’s haunting were not mentioned.
Regarding his departure, Hassan Shibly said to NPR, “This was my decision. I would say, “I could have stayed, without a doubt.”
What is a Domestic Dispute? (The crime for which Hassan Shibly has been accused)
A domestic dispute is, in general, any argument between members of the same family or household, whether or not it involves violence. Local laws, which vary, control definitions, which may also include any kid, adult, or fully emancipated juvenile who is a spouse, former spouse, cohabitant, or someone with whom a suspect has or has had a dating or engagement connection. It might or might not involve criminal activity. For information on specific requirements in your location, contact local legislation.
Laws in New York against Domestic Violence (The crime for which Hassan Shibly has been accused)
Domestic abuse laws define what happens when a partner in a relationship is purposefully harmed. This article will explore the legislation passed in New York to both outlaw and prevent this kind of assault.
Common laws against domestic violence in Florida
Domestic violence refers to a pattern of violent behaviour by one partner against the other in a relationship. In this case, the individual deemed to be the abuser maintains power and influence over the partnership. All types of abuse, including financial, emotional, verbal, sexual, and physical, are included in the category of domestic violence. This group includes intimidation and threats.
Several separate criminal laws address domestic violence. In New York, the following are some of the most common charges in situations involving domestic abuse:
-Revenge porn is defined as the publication of a private or personal image (New York Penal Law 245.15).
-According to New York Penal Law 240.30, harassing and threatening a victim by repeated or threatening phone calls or texts is categorised as second-degree aggravated harassment;
-Following someone and instilling dread in them about their safety is known as stalking. As to the provisions of New York Penal Law 120.45, the offender may possess a weapon or threaten to use one against the victim.
-Attacking someone in front of a child, beating them, and using drugs in their presence are all actions that endanger their welfare (New York Penal Law 260.10);
As to the New York Penal Law 145.00, instances of criminal mischief encompass breaking a cell phone, causing damage to furniture, and totaling an automobile.
What Penalties Apply to Domestic Violence? (The crime for which Rodney Wiltshire has been accused)
Prison Time
Domestic violence penalties, particularly in New York, can be severe and are largely based on how serious the act was. The length of a prison sentence might range from a few years to life.
For instance, a misdemeanour domestic abuse charge carries a minimum 15-day sentence and a potential one-year sentence in jail. They could potentially receive a $1,000 fine. On the other hand, those accused of a class A felony will live their entire lives behind bars. A person accused of a class B, C, D, or E crime faces a sentence of four to 25 years in jail.
Validation
Another common punishment for domestic abuse is probation. Depending on the specifics of their case, a person accused of domestic abuse may receive a probationary sentence of up to five years. Probation is the most common result in domestic abuse cases. Probation is usually enforced in cases of domestic violence including less serious charges such as phone destruction.
Orders for Protection
In addition to being charged with a crime, a person may be mentioned in an order of protection. This is referred to as a protective order. A judge will issue a restraining order, which prohibits the abuser from harming the victim in the future.
What does the mandatory arrest law in New York mean?
What does Florida’s mandatory arrest mean?
New legislation in New York mandates that when a domestic violence call is received, law officers must make an arrest. A criminal can be arrested notwithstanding the victim’s plea not to because of new criminal law procedures and police training. Even while some victims choose not to file charges, law enforcement is not required to take them into account.
Instead of having their partner imprisoned, many victims call the police to defuse the situation. Even if the victim changes their mind or if the problem is solved, the case must still go forward.
Why are mandatory arrest laws in place?
There are laws requiring arrests because victims who report their abuser to the police may change their minds later. Typically, victims who are financially dependent, fear retaliation from their abusers, or have feelings for their spouses oppose their abusers being imprisoned.
Consequently, the law enforcement of New York is no longer dependent on the victim to make an arrest for domestic abuse. This is problematic because, despite the possibility that the victim was equally as violent, the person who was detained is being depicted as the offender. An unjustified arrest could affect a person’s criminal history and future
