Malaysian couple in Sweden set to be released in July and September

Malaysian couple Azizul Raheem and Shalwati Nor Shal, who were imprisoned in Sweden on charges of abusing their four children last December, will be released in July and September, respectively. The matter was announced by Ketereh Member of Parliament, Tan Sri Annuar Musa through his Facebook page on Monday. "At about 1:25 pm we had the opportunity to meet Shalwati and spend time with her until 3.00 pm. "She is healthy and happy to hear the news of her family and children in Kelantan. She also gave us letters for her children to their teachers. Her husband will be released in July and Shalwati in September," he said. Annuar said, he visited Shalwati at the Anstalten Hinseberg prison on the same day in a three-hour drive from Stockholm. "But eventually with the help of Ms Gloria, the embassy official who accompanied me, we managed to reach there. Shalwati has moved to this prison from the prison in Stockholm. "The prison officers were very polite, but very strict. The documents and body inspection were strict... only three people are allowed in," said Annuar, who is also an UMNO Supreme Council member. Annuar also offered his prayers to the couple, telling them to stay strong while undergoing their sentence under foreign laws which he described as "quite alien and different" from Malaysian law. Shalwati, a teacher who was on unpaid leave was arrested for allegedly abusing her four children at their home in Spanga, Sweden, and has been found guilty and sentenced to 14 months jail by the Solna District Court. Azizul Raheem Awaluddin was sentenced to 10 months in prison for abusing three of his children and was acquitted of any offense against his youngest son. Both Azizul and Shalwati were ordered to pay damages to their children. The pair have not met all four of their children since their arrest on December 18. Their children Aisha, 14, Ammar 12, Adam 11, and Arif 7, which are now under the care of their aunt in Kelantan was brought home from Sweden by Deputy Foreign Minister Datuk Hamzah Zainuddin, in February. Sweden was the first country in the world to ban corporal punishment towards children in 1979 and since then has been followed by 36 other countries.