Shamima Begum: Illustrator banned from Etsy over card

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Shamima Begum Mother's Day cardImage source, Samuel Hague Illustration
Image caption,

The Mother's Day card featuring Shamima Begum led to Samuel Hague's ban from Etsy

An illustrator has been banned from the online marketplace Etsy over his Mother's Day card design featuring IS bride Shamima Begum.

The 19-year-old, who left the UK to join the Islamic State group, recently gave birth to a boy.

The card, made by Chesterfield-based artist Samuel Hague, said: "Thanks for never joining ISIS."

He said he was not surprised by Etsy's reaction but that public response had been "mostly positive".

Image caption,

Shamima Begum left the UK to join the Islamic State group when she was 15

The 30-year-old tweeted a screen grab of an email from Etsy which told him his account had been revoked.

The message said: "While Etsy encourages sellers to express their personal views and ideas in their listings, we do not permit items or listings that promote, support or glorify hatred.

"We also prohibit items that promote, support or glorify acts of physical or sexual violence against individuals or groups."

Image source, Samuel Hague
Image caption,

Mr Hague said he was not surprised by Etsy's reaction to his card

In March, the freelance illustrator was criticised by the NSPCC who described his Mother's Day and Father's Day cards, featuring Karen Matthews, Josef Fritzl and sex offender Jimmy Savile, as "thoughtless and irresponsible".

The card featuring Matthews, who was jailed for kidnapping her own daughter in an attempt to claim reward money, included the phrase: "Thanks for never hiding me under a bed."

Austrian criminal Fritzl, imprisoned his own daughter and fathered seven of her children.

Mr Hague defended his work at the time and said he did "not condone any acts of child abuse whatsoever", but chose to express himself through "comedy and art".

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