Federal Judge Reinstates Contempt Charges Against Minnesota Woman

by Brett Stolpestad

A Minneapolis federal judge reinstated contempt charges against a Somali woman Tuesday who refused to stand before the court during her trial, The Star Tribune reported.

Chief U.S. District Judge Michael Davis cited Amina Farah Ali 20 times in the first two days of her trial when she refused to stand before the court, Minnesota Public Radio News reported.

Ali protested and refused to stand before the judge saying that it would violate her interpretation of her islamic faith, The Star Tribune reported.

Judge Davis originally ordered Ali to serve 100 days in jain but later dropped the jail time when a federal appeals court vacated 19 of the contempt charges, MPR News reported.

Amina Farah Ali and Hawo Mohamed Hassan were both convicted of providing support to the Al-Shabab terrorist organization last October, The Star Tribune reported.