Guatemala probes child abuse claims against extremist Jewish sect Lev Tahor

Members of secretive ultra-Orthodox group prevent officials from entering their compound in Oratorio as investigators look into claims of forced marriages, underage pregnancy

By Agencies
29 August 2024, 6:53 pm



Illustrative: Members of the Lev Tahor sect prepare to depart from La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City on a journey to Iraqi Kurdistan in October 2021. (Courtesy)


Guatemalan authorities are investigating allegations of child abuse within a Jewish sect that also faces accusations of forced marriages and adolescent pregnancies, an official said Wednesday.

Officials tried to check the condition of the minors on Friday with a court order, but members of the Lev Tahor community restricted access to their farm in Oratorio, southwest of Guatemala City, authorities said.

“We’re very concerned about the situation within the community,” Lucrecia Prera, a lawyer representing the state in child and adolescent issues, told AFP.

Guatemalan authorities are investigating allegations of child abuse within a Jewish sect that also faces accusations of forced marriages and adolescent pregnancies, an official said Wednesday.

More:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/guatemala-probes-child-abuse-claims-against-extremist-jewish-sect-lev-tahor/