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‘Girls’ Clothes Are The Gateway To Rape,’ According To Yemeni Sheikh

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In a post on his Facebook page, Yemeni Sheikh Abdullah al-Adini of the Islah Party created a post titled “Girls’ Clothes are the Gateway to Rape.” Adini’s post comes shortly after the tragic murder and rape of three year old Rana Al Matri that shook the city of Sana’a, Saudi-owned Al Arabiya reports.

The Islah party combines tribal influences along with those of the Yemeni Muslim Brotherhood and more radical Wahhabi groups. Because of these conflicting ideologies, the party faces deep internal divisions on key issues such as what is considered appropriate garb for women and girls.

In 2004, the U.S. Treasury Department designated one of the party’s prominent leaders, Abdul Majeed al-Zindani as a terrorist. The department described him as a “loyalist” and “spiritual advisor” to Osama Bin Laden. In the past, Zindani has “praised Hamas suicide bombers and called on his followers to donate money to assist the Palestinian people.”

After justifying the rapist’s actions, Adini alleged that “a lot of girls have been raped due to these clothes that appeal to a man’s animal instincts and desires,” citing that there has been “noticeable leniency when it comes to young girls’ clothes.”

His post went onto say that their clothes are mostly “short, tight and semi-naked” and that because of this, these young girls have been “left them with psychological scars or physical deformation or death,” according to Al Arabiya.

Not long after, thousands of comments flooded Adini’s Facebook condemning what he posted. This is not the first time Adini has been condemned for his views on women.

As a Muslim Brotherhood leader, he has been vocal about being against putting a marriage age restriction when it comes to young girls.

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