Hamid Karzai signs law legalizing rape in marriage

[Holly_Hobby]

President Hamid Karzai has signed a law the UN says legalises rape in marriage and prevents women from leaving the house without permission.

The law, which has not been publicly released, is believed to state women can only seek work, education or doctor's appointments with their husband's permission. Only fathers and grandfathers are granted custody of children under the law, according to the United Nations Development Fund for Women.

Opponents of the legislation governing the personal lives of Afghanistan's Shia minority have said it is "worse than during the Taliban". Mr Karzai has been accused of electioneering at the expense of women's rights by signing the law to appeal to crucial Shia swing voters in this year's presidential poll.

While the Afghan constitution guarantees equal rights for women, it also allows the Shia community, thought to represent 10 per cent of the population, the right to settle family law cases according to Shia law. The Shiite Personal Status Law contains provisions on marriage, divorce, inheritance, rights of movement and bankruptcy.

...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/5080797/Hamid-Karzai-signs-law-legalising-rape-in-marriage.html

[cliffordu]

1. I understand that Iraq is going to start executing gay men - something like

150 from what I read -

I JUST LOVE THE FUCKING PEOPLE WE PROP UP AND SEND BILLIONS TO....



And in case anyone isn' clear:

:sarcasm:

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. :^( It's just awful.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. Those poor women :^(

[cliffordu]

4. Yes, I cannot believe this exists in this day and age

[azurnoir]

5. Well the US is a bit better

It should be noted, however, that cultural norms and the perceived social stigma attached to rape often discourage the reporting of marital rape, and prosecution is very rare in many countries.

Until 1976, marital rape was legal in every state in the United States. Although marital rape is now a crime in all 50 states in the U.S., some states still don't consider it as serious as other forms of rape. The only states that have laws that make no distinction between marital rape and stranger rape are Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia. These states have no marital rape exemptions.

http://marriage.about.com/cs/maritalrape/f/maritalrape10.htm

[maxsolomon]

6. should have turned the place over to the RAWA in '03.

but we had to half-ass it.

http://www.rawa.org/index.php