Arrests in Sydney over sharia law lashings

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A third man has been charged with allegedly lashing a Muslim man 40 times in his Sydney apartment.

Christian Martinez, 31, was allegedly restrained by four men in his Silverwater home and lashed 40 times with an electric cable as punishment under Sharia laws for drinking alcohol.

Two men have already been charged over the alleged incident, which has raised broad community concerns about the application of Islamic law in Australia.

A 20-year-old Guildford man was arrested at Silverwater on Thursday morning in relation to the incident, police said.

A search warrant was carried out at a Guildford house and a number of items were taken for forensic examination.

The man was charged with several offences, including breaking and entering, detaining a person, two counts of stealing, resisting arrest and two counts of intending to influence a witness.

He has been refused bail and will appear in Burwood Local Court on Friday.

-AAP