Afghanistan Legalizes Rape

The U.N. warns that Afghanistan’s President Hamid Karzai has legalized rape.

Directed towards the Shia minority, the Shia Family Law allows for sexual intercourse between married couples without consent and requires a husband’s permission for a woman to leave the home, work or pursue education. And in the event of divorce, the father or grandfather is granted custody of the children.

Shinkai Zahine Karokhail, a female MP who campaigned against the legislation, claims, “There are moderate views among the Shia, but unfortunately our MPs, the people who draft the laws, rely on extremists…It is one of the worst bills passed by the parliament this century.”

Another female MP, Shukria Barakzai, argues that they did score some victories, such as raising the legal age of marriage for females from the proposed 9 years to 16 and removing provisions from temporary marriages.

Because Afghanistan’s elections are coming up in August, it is believed that President Karzai signed the bill into law in order to please the Shia community and gain votes. Karokhail claims that the bill was rushed through parliament, with little debate.

Several weeks ago, at the 53rd Session of the Commission on the Status of Women, hosted by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Afghani women’s rights activists spoke about the challenges facing women in Afghanistan. Despite the fall of the Taliban, they claim there is persistent gender inequality, which is only exacerbated by the fragile state of the wartorn nation.

From UNIFEM’s website:

The Permanent Representative of Afghanistan to the United Nations, Zahir Tanin, described how Afghanistan had in his youth been a peaceful and tolerant country, where the best traditions of east and west had merged. But the wars and violence of the past few decades had unsettled the dust of intolerance and ignorance.

Pointing to the Afghan constitution that declares equal rights and the duties of men and women, Mr. Tanin said there was indeed political will to improve the position of women, but that the increase in violence had meant that women were, as always, the first victims.

Read more: afghanistan, rape, womens rights

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Julian L.

4:03PM PST on Jan 9, 2010

I also think the ongoing argument here about whether or not the Quran condones these actions is completely irrelevant. There are a great many devout Muslims in the world who do not feel the need to oppress or rape thier wives and daughters.

The Quran is used as an excuse for violence and hatred, just like the Bible and the Torah are all over the world. There is nothing problem with following the teachings of an acceptable religion, but more important is knowing the difference between right and wrong, and the men in these countries who made and supported these laws obviously haven't learned that difference yet, which is why they need to be taught. Or, if they refuse to be taught, forcibly removed from the planet.

send a green star

3:58PM PST on Jan 9, 2010

Laws that legalise marital rape and "honour killings" and prosecute rape victims make me sick to my stomach. Laws are meant to protect people, but these protect criminals: rapists, murderers, and abusive spouses.

I hope our governments will stand up to the cowards who rule these countries and make it so they stop wasting perfectly good oxygen by continuing to breathe.

Sarah D, I'm sure I'm not the only person who would support your actions, and I would happily hop on a train to wherever the hell you are and help you dig a nice deep hole, which is exactly where the men who made these laws should be.

Ronald T.

4:45AM PDT on Sep 17, 2009

I can't believe we are risking our men and woman to help these animals. We should surround the country and not let them out and then block entrance to our world.

Sarah D.

3:18AM PDT on Jun 22, 2009

The Koran implies that women are not possessions, they are "God's creations". This rape law shows just how much respect those people have for women. When a husband has the permission to rape his wife it's a very scary thing because now you can't report abuse and if you do then you become the criminal. It's just shameful they could approve such a disgusting and horrific law.

When you marry a man he is supposed to protect you and love you unconditionally, he is not supposed to beat or rape you. If I was married, I would kill my husband before he has the chance to hurt me or my children. Women are not men's to control, they have rights and most of all they have the right to say "no".

Heidi S.

6:27AM PDT on Apr 19, 2009

Natasha G. while you're right . there is a undercurrent of contempt and down treatment of women in the middle east and it is troubling to alot of people and unless and until we start to see the violence and unbalance for all it is. we all as members of the human race will not be able to make it better.

Rob and Jay B.

4:53AM PDT on Apr 5, 2009

Muhammed I've read your comments & I agree that everyone should read the Qu'ran, as I said earlier. But I can't believe any enlightened, modern-thinking, educated person could believe it, & I have to wonder if you've ever read it yourself? How could you possibly make the utterly unsupportable statements you make if you've actually read it? The Qu'ran is so riddled with contradictions & things that go against all scientific proof there is no possible way to even begin to list them here!
Some would say the same about Christianity as you've said about there not being any true Christian States. The teachings of Jesus are uplifting and inspiring, but almost impossible to live - not so those of Paul, Moses et. al.Some would say if you read the 4 Gospels that give the teachings of Jesus (forgetting all the other blather of the Old & New Testaments)that you'd become a Christian - a real one, like there were in the early days after Jesus.
Or maybe if you read the teachings of Buddha or Zarathustra, both of which teach of peace and kindness.
I am reading the Qu'ran now & find it to be repellent, just like the Old Testament it was based on.
If Islam is the fastest growing religion in the West it is only because Muslims are moving in in such great numbers to escape the misery of the Muslim countries they lived in & that they have way too many children especially now that this world is so overpopulated.
You say the Qu'ran shows respect for women? Show us. I

Lori C.

2:23AM PDT on Apr 5, 2009

This is getting funny!!! If this does not tell the U.S. what kind of idiots they are dealing with,nothing will! Do people not see what kind of idiots they are dealing with?
This is a Joke,but as long as there is something in it for someone,it will never stop!!
Say that out loud,Legalized Rape!! What a joke!! The rape victims need to see if they can get killing their rapist legalized!!!
JOKE,HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA,Lori

Muhammad S.

8:28PM PDT on Apr 4, 2009

True Picture:
Whatever is going on in Afghanistan and other muslim contries doesn't mean it's a teaching of Quran. Unfortunately in this day and age there isn't a single society which depicts true teachings of Quran.
It's all a corrupted system and from a corrupted, demolished and partially enslaved society like Afghanistan you can expect anything even worst than this law. So this law has nothing to do with Quran or Islam and you can't tell where it's coming from.
Quran is all about justice, peace & humanity. Read verses quoted in a comment above but try to find out in what context it is mentioned in Quran.
"Trying to come to conclusions about autheticity of Quran just by reading one sentence without any reference to the context doesn't seem sensible".
There is no use to put any effort to question on truth and authenticity of Quran because it's the only book in world which will remain true and unchanged till the end of times.
So try to read Quran thoroughly not just "fake negative criticism", you'll be a muslim soon.
True Islam unfotunately doesn't exist as whole societies anymore but there are just a few true followers of Islam who are in every part of the world, not only in middle east or other so called Islami states.
Quran teaches to give true respect to women which is far most better than America and Europe. Try to explore it in Quran for yourselves, be unbiased and you'll will learn why Islam has become the fastest growing religion in America and Europe.