Pakistan amends law on adultery

[WhiteTara]

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/925D16F8-8ABD-446E-B3B7-90E2DF7A7530.htm
aturday 08 July 2006, 6:48 Makka Time, 3:48 GMT


Women accused of adultery can now get bail

The president of Pakistan has amended an Islamic law that will allow hundreds of women facing charges for adultery and other minor crimes to be freed on bail.

The much-awaited amendment by General Pervez Musharraf would free 1,300 women facing various charges until their trial.

Announcing it on Friday, Sumaira Malik, the minister for women's affairs said: "President Musharraf has taken a bold decision to protect the rights of women and save them from the misuse of Islamic laws."

The president has sought to reform Islamic laws on blasphemy and women's rights in the past but backed off because of strong opposition in deeply conservative Pakistan.

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[msongs]

1. are men free to do anything they want? nt

[WhiteTara]

5. yep. Pretty much

and they are damned pissed off that women don't want "traditional family values" anymore.

[nealmhughes]

2. I would think that adultery under sharia would be nearly impossible to

prove, given the need of eye witnesses, etc. Obviously it is a trumped up charge with guys who lie in order to keep the women from getting their divorce settlements, which is guaranteed under the sharia. Very similar to all the "cooking fire accidents" in India over dowry. The love of money as a famous rabbi once said...

[Igel]

3. The Hudood laws were

just the topic of a rather large ulema meeting in Pakistan. Well grounded in the Qur'an and Hadith, yada-yada, can't be changed, immutable and for all people. Same old, same old.

Charges against the man are harder to prove. Much harder. And dangerous to bring. She says Mansour was her partner, she's just confessed; he denies it, his word counts for more than hers at his trial so he wins. But her confession is under oath, and is admissible at her trial.

[nealmhughes]

4. That is the way I understand it: only 4 eyewitnesses or confession.

Is it four for a capital crime under the sharia?

[Crunchy Frog]

6. I don't suppose DNA evidence is allowed.

Maybe the existence of DNA isn't acknowledged under Islamic law. :shrug: