Becket Fund Advocates for Faith by Choice in Malaysia
Jun 26, 2006

Lina Joy, né Azlina binti Jailani, an ethnic Malay, is fighting for her right to convert from Islam to Catholicism in 1990.

Despite Lina Joy's protestations that she was not a Muslim, the government refused to remove the designation "Islamic" from her identity card. Because Lina Joy bore a Muslim identity card, she was unable to obtain a civil marriage license to a Catholic man, since Syariah Islamic law courts are supposed to govern all personal mattersconcerning Muslims.

After two lower courts denied jurisdiction to hear her case on the ground that she is a Muslim and therefore under the jurisdiction of Syariah courts, Lina Joy appealed to Malaysia's Federal Court.

On June 28, the Federal Court heard Lina's last chance of appeal and is deliberating her case now.

Malaysia is once again at a critical point in deciding whether constitutional or Syariah will prevail, and whether it is indeed up to the state, de jure and defacto, to tell Malaysians what they believe.

The Becket Fund has issued a legal opinion analysing comparative constitutional and international law issues for Lina Joy's appeal. The appeal is being heard on June 28, 2006.

Visit The Becket Fund's case site for Lina Joy for a more detailed history and court materials


http://www.becketfund.org/index.php/article/495.html?PHPSESSID=99e6ee09b1ecc8347061abcd5bbafb58