A man has been convicted of child cruelty after forcing two teenage brothers to ritually flog themselves during a Shia Muslim ceremony.

In a landmark case, Syed Mustafa Zaidi, 44, was found guilty at Manchester crown court over the incident during the Ashura festival in January this year.

Jurors heard how Zaidi forced two children, aged 15 and 13 at the time, to flagellate themselves with a Zangeer Zani – a wooden handle attached to a number of chains with curved blades at the ends.

The flagellation was stopped by other members of the community centre on Park Grove in Levenshulme, while the matter was referred to Greater Manchester police (GMP) when the boys' mother discovered the deep wounds on their backs and multiple slash wounds.

Ashura is a 40-day festival to commemorate the martyrdom of the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad at the battle of Karbala, during which Shia Muslims use the Zangeer Zani to flagellate themselves.

UK prosecutors responded to the verdict by insisting the law was there to protect children.

"The [crown prosecution service] wishes to make it clear that this prosecution was not an attack upon the practices or ceremonies of Shia Muslims. Indeed, the prosecution relied as part of its evidence upon the president of the local Shia community centre," said Carol Jackson of Manchester CPS.

"The law exists to protect the young from harm or being exposed to harm. In this case, both boys were made to take part in the ritual flagellation and suffered injuries to their backs."

GMP Superintendent Nadeem Butt added: "This man not only abused the vulnerability of these children but also went against the wishes of his own community, as well as knowingly breaking the law.

"The sensitivities this case raises - both legal and cultural - are significant. We are aware of the community's concerns about how this case could be portrayed, and have been working closely with community leaders throughout the process."
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