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A prominent secular feminist did not slander a Muslim school when she compared it to military training camps in Afghanistan and Pakistan, a judge ruled Tuesday.

Rather, Djemila Benhabib, an author known for her outspoken criticism of Islam, was exercising her freedom of speech on a subject of public interest, Superior Court Justice Carole Hallée wrote.

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The Muslim Schools of Montreal was seeking $95,000 in damages and argued Benhabib’s comments greatly tarnished its reputation.

Benhabib’s lawyer, Marc-André Nadon, said the decision recognizes “that the more important the subject matter is of public interest, the greater the court needs to be sensitive to the importance of freedom of expression in a democratic society.”

In a 2012 interview with a Montreal radio station, Benhabib lamented that Qur’anic verses published on the school’s website referred to the need for young girls to stay pure. She also stated they criticized non-Muslims.