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| Court supports forced marriage GP | |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| An NHS doctor who claimed she was forced into a marriage in Bangladesh cannot be removed from the UK against her will, the High Court has ruled. | An NHS doctor who claimed she was forced into a marriage in Bangladesh cannot be removed from the UK against her will, the High Court has ruled. |
| Dr Humayra Abedin, 33, from east London, was tricked by her parents, held captive by them for four months and made to marry a man in November. | |
| The High Court has ruled that she cannot be removed again from the UK without her consent. | The High Court has ruled that she cannot be removed again from the UK without her consent. |
| Dr Abedin is attempting to have the marriage annulled by the court. | Dr Abedin is attempting to have the marriage annulled by the court. |
| Mr Justice Coleridge said: "I shall grant further orders to protect Dr Abedin and prevent her being removed from this country again without her consent." | Mr Justice Coleridge said: "I shall grant further orders to protect Dr Abedin and prevent her being removed from this country again without her consent." |
| You can understand that being held captive and against the will, it's not very easy Dr Humayra Abedin | |
| Outside court Dr Abedin said: "I'm very happy to be back, but I'd like to get back to my life. | |
| "I'm looking forward to starting my job." | |
| She said the past few weeks had been "very difficult". | She said the past few weeks had been "very difficult". |
| "You can understand that being held captive and against the will, it's not very easy." | "You can understand that being held captive and against the will, it's not very easy." |
| Her solicitor Anne-Marie Hutchinson said the case was very important. | |
| She said: "The profile it's received means that other people will feel that they can come forward and seek the relief, that as Mr Justice Coleridge said, they're entitled to." | |
| Miss Hutchinson added: "He's emphasised what's been said before, that forced marriage is a breach of human rights, and where it happens this court will deal with it if cases come before it. | |
| "I don't think it is a cultural issue, it's a human rights issue." | |
| 'Under duress' | |
| In a statement issued after her return to London on Tuesday, Dr Abedin said: "On 14 November 2008, I was forced to marry a person of my parents' choice. | In a statement issued after her return to London on Tuesday, Dr Abedin said: "On 14 November 2008, I was forced to marry a person of my parents' choice. |
| "I was removed to another province of Bangladesh. I entered into the marriage ceremony under duress. I did not consent to the marriage." | "I was removed to another province of Bangladesh. I entered into the marriage ceremony under duress. I did not consent to the marriage." |
| Dr Abedin returned to the UK as a result of a British court order made under the Forced Marriage Act. | Dr Abedin returned to the UK as a result of a British court order made under the Forced Marriage Act. |
| The High Court in London issued the order while she was still in Bangladesh under new legislation which allows British courts to prevent someone from being forced into marriage. | The High Court in London issued the order while she was still in Bangladesh under new legislation which allows British courts to prevent someone from being forced into marriage. |
| Dr Abedin came to the UK six years ago to study for a Masters degree in public health at Leeds University. | Dr Abedin came to the UK six years ago to study for a Masters degree in public health at Leeds University. |
| She had hoped to become a registrar at a GP surgery in east London in August but, after receiving news her mother had taken ill, returned to the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, where she was then allegedly held captive. | She had hoped to become a registrar at a GP surgery in east London in August but, after receiving news her mother had taken ill, returned to the capital of Bangladesh, Dhaka, where she was then allegedly held captive. |
| While in captivity, Dr Abedin raised the alarm by sending an email to a friend in the UK asking for help. |