MONTREAL – Quebec’s human rights commission said various parties are to blame in the case of an ultra-orthodox Jewish sect accused of mistreating children.
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The commission released its findings Thursday and stated that freedom of religion cannot be used as a pretext for abusing or neglecting kids.
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It is also blaming Quebec’s youth-protection agency, school officials, social services and the police for not acting quickly enough on suspicions that 134 children in the Lev Tahor community were being abused.
Lev Tahor was the subject of a youth protection investigation in Quebec over allegations of neglect and child abuse before members fled to the Ontario community of Chatham.
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Lev Tahor leaders have acknowledged the children are given a religious education but deny claims of abuse and underage marriages.
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The families fled Chatham in March 2014 when a judge ruled that 14 children in the community would be sent back to Quebec and placed in foster care.
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