E/CN.4/2006/5/Add.1 Page 50 abaya. This had led to a reduction in the number of girls and women attending schools and universities. The Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research had been informed of 3000 cases of women and girls who had requested postponement of their studies as a result of the security situation linked to this matter. An increase in acid attacks at the hands of religious groups and militia against women for not wearing the veil and not wearing the traditional abaya had also been reported. Justification for these attacks was based on the reasoning that when a woman or a girl does not wear a veil or the abaya, she was going against Muslim traditions and should be punished. 213. In northern Iraq, the practice known as "Jin be Jin" (exchanging one woman for another) has contributed to the high incidence of forced marriage. The law allows the mitigation of punishment for perpetrators found guilty of crimes such as honour killings and mutilations. Continued use of female genital mutilation continues to be reported in the northern region of Iraq. 214. Reports indicated that several women had been targeted by religious groups that perceive politically active women as contrary to their religion. In this context, the killings of Fern Holland, Salwa Oumashi, Amal al-Ma’amalachi, Lami’a Abed Khadawi, Aquila al-Hashimi, all women's rights activists or politically active women, had been reported. Several cases of women receiving death threats to prevent them from pursuing their advocacy or political work had been brought to the attention of the Special Rapporteur. Observations 215. The Special Rapporteur regrets that there has been no response received from the Government to this communication. While she recognizes the difficult situation that the Government is facing at the moment, she would like to draw attention to paragraph 8(a) of Resolution 2005/40 of the Commission on Human Rights in which States are urged to eliminate intolerance and discrimination based on religion and to devote particular attention to practices that violate the human rights of women and discriminate against women, including in the exercise of their right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief. Jordan Communication sent on 20 May 2005 216. The Special Rapporteur brought to the attention of the Government the situation of Mr. Samer Muhammad Khair Talib al-Aidy, who was reportedly convicted on charges of apostasy. He had converted from Islam to Christianity several years before. 217. Mr. al-Aidy was arrested on 15 September 2004 and charged before a Shari'a court with apostasy. However, he was released on bail the next day. Between September and late November he appeared at several court hearings, where he was asked to reconsider his conversion. At the last hearing, on 23 November 2004 he was convicted of apostasy. Mr. al-Aidy's lawyer appealed the decision. In March 2005, he