HOUSTON (KVEO) –– One Texas woman has been charged for transporting a child to a foreign country for the purpose of female genital mutilation in 2016.
Houston woman Zahra Badri, 39, is facing a charge of knowingly transporting a minor from the United States in foreign commerce for the purpose of female genital mutilation from July 2016 to October 2016.
Title 18 of the United States Code, which details crimes and criminal procedure, defines female genital mutilation as “circumcision, excision, or infibulation of ‘the whole or any part of the labia majora or labia minora or clitoris of another person who has not attained the age of 18 years.’”
The practice has been outlawed in the Untied States since 1996.
“Female genital mutilation is child abuse,” said Ryan K. Patrick, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Texas. “The long-term damage, both physically and physiologically, is well documented. Unnecessary medical procedures on children will not be tolerated.”
FBI officials say that this practice is a human rights violation and are designating the Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center to investigate the matter.
Badri, originally from the United Kingdom, faces up the five years in prison if convicted, according to Title 18, United States Code, Section 116(d).
