Father sues ex-wife over daughter's circumcision
Police detained Mariam Youssouf Seid after Zenab Mahamat Tahir, aged three, was allegedly circumcised without consent.
A father in Chad has filed a complaint against his ex-wife for allegedly circumcising their three-year-old daughter, Zenab Mahamat Tahir, without his consent. The accused, Mariam Youssouf Seid, was taken into preventive detention on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, following the complaint filed on Tuesday, November 3, 2026.
The alleged genital mutilation occurred last year when the child was three years old. Police sources confirmed the information, which was also verified by the plaintiff, Mahamat Tahir Moustapha. The detention is intended to allow for a medical examination before the case proceeds to the justice system.
Mahamat Tahir Moustapha stated that the procedure was performed while he was on a mission outside Chad, and he believes it will have long-term negative health consequences for his daughter. He also noted that female genital mutilation is prohibited by Chadian law.
Why it mattersA father is suing his ex-wife after their three-year-old daughter underwent female genital mutilation without his consent, an act prohibited by Chadian law.