Malaysian couple in Sweden charged with hitting their children since 2010

The Malaysian couple in Sweden who have been detained since Dec 18 for hitting their children, have been finally charged in Solna district court in Stockholm on Monday with gross violation of integrity.

The couple, Azizul Raheem Awaluddin and Shalwati Nurshal have been charged for hitting their four children on several occasions, dating from Sept 15, 2010 until Dec 2013.

Court document however, did not state why the children were hit or whether the beatings were for religious reasons.

The public prosecution office when contacted said among the offences the couple had committed include leaving physical marks on their children using objects like hanger and cane and hitting with their hands.

According to the charge sheets, totalling 11 pages, at one point during the period Sept 2011 to June 2012, Norshal mistreated Ammar, 12, by hitting with a leather belt on his legs and on the back, causing physical pain and redness.

She also had at one point in 2013 mistreated Adam, 11, by hitting him on the back, causing pain and soreness. During the same period, she had also hit Adam with a hanger.

Norshal had also used a rug beater, hanger and cane on Arif, 7, during the periof of March 2012 to 2013, when he was about six-years-old.

The school teacher who was also a warden has also been charged with hitting Aishah, 14, using a cane and hanger on her arm and back, in 2013.

Meanwhile, among the charges against Azizul Raheem include slapping Ammar at the back of his head, a blow which caused his head to bang a plate on table and forcing him to sit on the floor for eight hours in 2012.

He had also been charged with hitting Aishah on the legs and body that caused her to fall and had continued doing so even when she was down on the floor in 2012.

He has also been charged with abusing his other two children throughout the period.

Prosecution argued that each of the sessions has been part of the repeated violations of the children' integrity and severely damaged their self-esteem.

Prosecution had earlier, written a request to the court to charge the couple on Monday, about 6pm, local time.

Trial is expected to begin Feb 18 and may run for 14 days.

In 1979, Sweden became the first country to ban corporal punishment against children under any circumstances, both at home and in school.

Meanwhile, the couple’s four children began their schooling session on Sunday in Kota Bharu.

They had returned to Malaysia on Feb 2 and are now under the care of their aunt Sharlena Makhzan who is also a teacher.

Both Aishah and Amar have been registered at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Padang Kala while Adam and Arif at Sekolah Rendah Padang Kala.