Afghan leader accused of bid to 'legalise rape'

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Afghanistan's President, Hamid Karzai, has signed a law which "legalises" rape, women's groups and the United Nations warn. Critics claim the president helped rush the bill through parliament in a bid to appease Islamic fundamentalists ahead of elections in August.

In a massive blow for women's rights, the new Shia Family Law negates the need for sexual consent between married couples, tacitly approves child marriage and restricts a woman's right to leave the home, according to UN papers seen by The Independent.

"It is one of the worst bills passed by the parliament this century," fumed Shinkai Karokhail, a woman MP who campaigned against the legislation. "It is totally against women's rights. This law makes women more vulnerable."

source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...e-1658049.html


^^ This is not April fools

Sounds like a total disgrace, this law sounds like a step into the dark ages.

or a step into 1990.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spousal_rape

and these people (muslim fundies) have the nerve to call *us* immoral...

This is disgraceful. To advance one man's political career, hundreds (or maybe thousands or millions) of women will suffer. I want to cry.

With laws like this, the Taliban have already won the civil war in Afghanistan.

I can't take hamid karzai seriously... the guy used to sell hot dogs on the corner of broadway and bleeker... I stopped at his stand many times, and he didn't seem very presidential... just another hot dog guy in NY...

I find this to be offensive as not all Muslims are the same. They too are people and are aware of many things. There are also many who do not agree with some of the laws as written in the Quran. I have a number of Muslim friends and none of them wear a burka. I don't have any male Muslim friends, but my female friends are great to talk with and do not preach their beliefs as much as Christians, and Jehovas Witnesses...

And not all Christians preach their beliefs, so don't roll them all into one category either.

That's a very sad law.

And this is or "ally" against the Taliban. There goes our ally folks -- different God, different Mountain.

ruveyn

I specifically wrote *muslim fundies* to avoid replies like this one. if you feel the need to show your righteous indignation to someone who's been politically incorrect, I suggest you visit the PPR forum

Spousal rape is not addressed in the law books of all Muslim-majority countries except Mauritania and Turkey. It is also unaddressed in most of the African continent, most of South America, a big chunk of Eastern Europe, and most of Asia (except India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and the Phillipines).

That news story doesn't surprise me at all.

I wonder why so many of these one-goded religions abuse women or put them in such a way that they are not people but sheep to be bred...

At least in parts of north america, Native women were allowed to kick their spouse out of their teepee if they were acting naughty.

Oh? Even today in North America, men behaving badly
may get exiled to the sofa.

(A law enshrining this practise just might be what Afghan women need.)

I seriously hope you're kidding.