Community | March 31, 2009 | 54 comments

Karzai Accused Of Bid To 'Legalise Rape'

source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/03/31/karzai-accused-of-bid-to_n_181153.html

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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."

The law regulates personal matters like marriage, divorce, inheritance and sexual relations among Afghanistan's minority Shia community. "It's about votes," Ms Karokhail added. "Karzai is in a hurry to appease the Shia because the elections are on the way."

The provisions are reminiscent of the hardline Taliban regime, which banned women from leaving their homes without a male relative. But in a sign of Afghanistan's faltering steps towards gender equality, politicians who opposed it have been threatened.

"There are moderate views among the Shia, but unfortunately our MPs, the people who draft the laws, rely on extremists," Ms Karokhail said.

The bill lay dormant for more than a year, but in February it was rushed through parliament as President Karzai sought allies in a constitutional row over the upcoming election. Senator Humeira Namati claimed it wasn't even read out in the Upper House, let alone debated, before it was passed to the Supreme Court. "They accused me of being an unbeliever," she said.

Details of the law emerged after Mr Karzai was endorsed by Afghanistan's Supreme Court to stay in power until elections scheduled in August. Some MPs claimed President Karzai was under pressure from Iran, which maintains a close relationship with Afghanistan's Shias. The most controversial parts of the law deal explicitly with sexual relations. Article 132 requires women to obey their husband's sexual demands and stipulates that a man can expect to have sex with his wife at least "once every four nights" when travelling, unless they are ill. The law also gives men preferential inheritance rights, easier access to divorce, and priority in court.
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54 comments // Karzai Accused Of Bid To 'Legalise Rape'

  • cmauer42
  • manfreddrake
  • MoonLoon
    • 0
      MoonLoon  

    • Does this really surprise anyone, that is a regular topic on current? We are dealing with a type of man that has lost his manhood in the modern world and is desperate to regain it by returning his society into the dark ages. These are pitiful excuses for men and deserve our charity for their failure to maintain their manhood under the pressures of competition with modern women. Maybe we can form a charitable organization to help them regain their manliness. We will distribute rag dolls, pillows, and other objects for them to abuse to their hearts content. We could name it the "rag doll" charitable society.

    • 3 years ago
  • el_chivo
    • 0
      el_chivo  

    • So, what’s the difference between this and the taliban regime?
      Is this the liberation that USA brought to the afghan people?

    • 3 years ago
  • dmass5
    • 0
      dmass5  
    • el_chivo:

      as a US soldier in afghanistan, the measures we are taking are not severe enough to change the minds of these people. We are too soft on the taliban and local nationals to get anything done over here.

    • 3 years ago
  • Valence
  • ashgallagher
    • 0
      ashgallagher  

    • "It's about votes," Ms Karokhail added. "Karzai is in a hurry to appease the Shia because the elections are on the way."

      he too is a politician. are we surprised?

    • 3 years ago
  • jzeela
    • 0
      jzeela  

    • Little do some of you know that the 20year old somethings in countries like, hmm i don’t know IRAN are wishing that the US come and tear down the bull shit "republic" that is reality, the truth of the matter is, NO ONE would want to live in a country where house arrest is law and rape is normalcy. Truth be told, the people in these countries feel oppressed and want nothing more than a revolution. One that makes life free like America,,, the US government boasts how lovely this country is with its freedom, and that is exactly what these people want when an invasion has been made on their home turf. if the US govt is only gonna make things worse for them,.. yea i doubt they want more trouble or a shittier way of life.. they crave that freedom... Now the hard part is getting a country with an honest goal to do good and to help out without any selfish beneficial gains out if it to do the job... Now where can we find one of those???? the point someone made about sex slavery.. yea this has been going on for years and the beloved Dubai was one of the first places that I heard was capital of child sex slavery... the world disgusts me more and more each and every day.
      I definitely want to second the motion that religion is not to blame here, but fundamental pieces of shit who twist the true meaning behind the teachings of Islam.

    • 3 years ago
  • FallenMorgan
    • 0
      FallenMorgan  

    • The Taliban wouldn't have taken power in the first place if America hadn't gotten involved in the Soviet-Afghan War. I'd rather live in a communist state than a religious theocracy, if I could only pick between the two.

    • 3 years ago
  • numinant
    • 0
      numinant  
    • FallenMorgan:

      Wouldn't that depend on how you define them? There has never actually been a communist state, but from what examples we've had, however nominal, it could range from Cuba to Stalin's Russia. And regarding religious theocracies, you could be talking about Afghanistan or you could be talking about Tibet. Political labels can be pretty vague.

    • 3 years ago
  • Dpm
  • numinant
    • 0
      numinant  
    • FallenMorgan:

      Well, self-described communist states at least tend to be more equitable in their oppression. Women generally were/are much better off in Soviet Russia and communist China. They hold positions of power and such. And said communists (I hate using the term because it's so inaccurate) at least ATTEMPT rationality.

    • 3 years ago
  • TheEmpireGuy
    • 0
      TheEmpireGuy  

    • This is a horrible thing and is absolutely atrocious.

      One more reason to stay the HELL out of Afghanistan.

      Don't police this world, US.

      This law was passed by their government and/or dictator, by their parliament, and we just need to stay the fuck out of other countries business.

      Once again, and I don't know how many times I've had to say it, this world is not a playground for the US to shove 'freedom' and democracy and our beliefs at other, sovereign, countries.

      This ain't our problem.

      Leave well enough alone, damn it.

    • 3 years ago
  • holyshiite
    • 0
      holyshiite  

    • These ladies should let the body hair grow from belly button down near the knees(because they can), never clean it, and well, you get the picture. Should slow down the woody cycle.

    • 3 years ago
  • manny0409
    • 0
      manny0409  

    • wow...this is ridiculous...these woman thought things were getting better at least but now this...and please dont start blaming religion...blame the idiots who blindly follow it the wrong way. this is not what religion is supossed to make u do.

    • 3 years ago
  • FallenMorgan
  • FallenMorgan
    • 0
      FallenMorgan  

    • Of course, folks like kuffar will probably reject everything I just said as "leftard" propaganda or make a bullshit attempt at discrediting what I say.

    • 3 years ago
  • FallenMorgan
  • holyshiite
  • Dpm
  • lucidean
    • 0
      lucidean  
    • FallenMorgan:

      That statement by al-Hilali was him trying to backtrack and excuse the fact that he referred to women who didn't cover themselves completely as "meat".
      If you're trying to show an example of moderate Islam he is not somebody you want to point out.

    • 3 years ago
  • jh64487
    • 0
      jh64487  

    • meh, think of all the bull shit bills bush pushed through.

      abstinence only? in the modern world? wtf is that?

      if the country disagrees then karzai will be out next election and it will get changed. if not...well...different people man, different ideals.

      I wish ya'll could see what they put up with in china and the rest of asia. man..the rampant sex slavery in all these nations. number 1 country for sex slavery in 2007 was Israel. but instead you focus on the middle east and muslims like they're the only ones living in the past.

      wise up, most of the world is still living in the 19th century, including about half of america.

    • 3 years ago
  • Saladin
    • 0
      Saladin  

    • I hate to go tangential, but there's something to be said here in the U.S. as well.

      Marital rape didn't start to get prosecuted HERE until the 70's, and it STILL doesn't get prosecuted very often here today.

      That doesn't make this bill not fucked up but, something to think about.

      I actually think what's worse about it is that women can't leave the home. What the fuck are they supposed to do then?

    • 3 years ago
  • MoonLoon
    • 0
      MoonLoon  
    • Saladin:

      Marital rape prosecutions are rare in the U.S., however, divorce is quite common, as a way for women to escape an abusive relationship. Going through divorce in a community property state allows both partners to be raped by the judges and lawyers. I seem to remember divorce as an unlikely option in most Muslim countries.

    • 3 years ago
  • RaceBannon
    • 0
      RaceBannon  

    • I saw some people were asking why we support them, and I'm guessing it has little to do with terrorism. If so we'd be on Pakistan like white on rice...

      However just looking at our history, America will work with whoever will let us sell our crap there and build our military bases. We're capitalist of course, so we don't believe in anything except profit....

      sorry .. sad face

    • 3 years ago
  • jzeela
    • 0
      jzeela  

    • This is f*ng horse sh*t. ARE YOU KIDDING ME?? its one thing to legalize prostitution and tax it as a profession in Amsterdam, but to legalize rape ?? AND if these people were truly Muslim, they would never harm a single hair on a female's head. I'm appalled.

    • 3 years ago
  • akamaial
  • jzeela
    • 0
      jzeela  
    • jzeela:

      Yea true Muslims believe in peace. Just like how true Catholicism doesn't condone molesting young boys. Get your facts straight, read a book, get out of your bubble and expose yourself to something other than ignorance.

    • 3 years ago
  • akamaial
    • 0
      akamaial [removed]  
    • jzeela:

      jzeela, may I suggest that YOU do some real reading about Islam? "True" Muslims are zealot religious fanatics and would kill you in a NY second to propagate their theocratic fanaticism, as it is Allah's will to eradicate kuffaar (by the way bubba, that's you and me) ~ "religion of peace"? ~~kiss my ass!

    • 3 years ago
  • jzeela
    • 0
      jzeela  
    • jzeela:

      You seem to be confusing the actual teachings of Islam (and any other religion for that matter) with the extremists/fundamentalists. There will always be radical assholes like the ones noted in this story, who will twist what the real lessons of Islam are for their own benefit. I began my journey in understanding various religions once I started attending their events, maybe you should think about attending a Friday Prayer session at a mosque in your local area. If you have trouble finding one, let me know and I would gladly help. Having an open mind about all types of people will show you that, not all Muslims are terrorists, just like how not all Catholics are child molesters. Please don't judge someone based on anything but the content of their character. Guess where I was taught that, at the mosque I attend.

    • 3 years ago
  • akamaial
    • 0
      akamaial [removed]  
    • jzeela:

      When those of your precious "faith", OPENLY, AGGRESSIVELY and LOUDLY move forward in DENOUNCING and taking ACTION to purge yourselves from the perversions contained within the Qur'an, then, and only then will your profession of righteousness have any measure of credence with me.
      And if you choose to deny the practiced aberrations of Sharia' Law that are becoming more apparent daily worldwide , then you truly are one of a host pathetic brainwashed sheeple.

    • 3 years ago
  • curiousitykilled
    • 0
      curiousitykilled  

    • This is just another example of actual downsides to democracy. Just because they are democratic does not mean they are saved. Politicans pass laws in order to win votes. Isn't that what this guy did? He made a decision based on popular demand but morally wrong according to our viewpoints. It doesn't matter what form of government you have they are all far from perfect. This law will likely be changed in the future and it will be a great moment in their history. For now though I feel sorry for the women who have to put up with it. I have no doubt tho that the men will pay for this at some point in the future its just going to take some time. Look back at America's history. It took a long time to get this far and we are still far from perfect when it comes to equality.

    • 3 years ago
  • Nettle
    • 0
      Nettle  

    • They're a new democracy. They're going to be making many more mistakes than correct choices at the beginning.

      And it's not like everyone agrees with the bill or wants that way of thinking; the politician made a rash, stupid decision to quickly gain power (they really are the same everywhere).

    • 3 years ago
  • humanpasta
    • 0
      humanpasta  

    • This shows such a huge gap in our two cultures.....Here we look at radically religous fundamentalists as wackos and really try to NOT associate with them..... Let alone allow them to define our culture...

    • 3 years ago
  • humanpasta
    • 0
      humanpasta  
    • humanpasta:

      Bush may have been terrible, but he never legalized rape. Women are not equal to cattle in this country. We are almost equal to men! I can have premarital sex without being tied to a pole and stoned to death. I can choose to do what I want, I do not have to live by extremist religious doctorine or risk the death penalty. And really, Bush was a retard, not a religious extremist. There is a difference.

    • 3 years ago
  • humanpasta
    • 0
      humanpasta  
    • humanpasta:

      Point taken Aminalia. Very good point actually. We as a people though still have a right to live however we want in this country. Bush's religious views didn't force me to do anything differently then before. What I am trying to get at I guess is that as Americans our culture didn't change that much. The culture in Iraq and Afghanistan has changed a lot though. Now that I think about it, America's "anti-terror" efforts have destroyed two countries and strengthed Islam exremism because of such destruction. So, really, America is to blame for this type of culture shift to exremism huh?

    • 3 years ago
  • mqz4
  • PoliticalGeek
  • anglcazn
  • cerealforeal
  • Toni801
  • mendokusai
    • 0
      mendokusai  
    • Toni801:

      islam doesnt condone rape its the people in this story r the ones fukin it up not the religion

      but a stupid fukin troll tryin to demonize a billion people wudnt be able to mentally grasp that concept now wud it?

      ninpo chojoo giga

    • 3 years ago
  • GoliathandDavid
  • FallenMorgan
  • iamfree
  • pjacobs51
  • neocongo
    • 0
      neocongo  

    • Bypassing Afghani and US interests, Karzai is clearly looking out for his own.

      If nothing else, this should be a reminder as to why we need to keep a defining line between church and state in the US. And put this Afgani experience into our ever increasing book of "Reasons not to try to shove democracy down the throats of other countries." Thank you PNAC. Fuck You PNAC.

    • 3 years ago
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