Pakistan rape acquittals rejected

[MaineDem]

Pakistan's Supreme Court has suspended the acquittals of five men in a notorious gang rape case that has sparked worldwide outrage.

The Supreme Court said it would retry the men convicted and then acquitted of raping Mukhtar Mai in 2002, allegedly on the orders of a village council.

...

A village council allegedly ordered the rape because her younger brother was seen with a woman from a more influential tribe.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry said in the ruling: "The inspector general of Punjab police is directed to arrest them and hand them over to judicial custody, pending final disposal of the appeals."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4629457.stm

[DeepModem Mom]

1. Thanks for posting this heartening news. nt

[Sparkman]

2. Justice in a tribal zoo, like Pakistan, is rare indeed,fear for the judge.

I wish more press coverage of Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Israel, all represive totalitarian governments, were encouraged by Bush's "justice" department, or Conduhsleeza's department of state.
Maybe a bit more exposure of those countries' attrocious and undemocratic rulers could lessen the suffering of minorities and the hedgemony of the wealthy over the poor and the politically progressive.

[geek tragedy]

6. "Tribal zoo?" I'd concur that the NW territories in Pakistan aren't

exactly civilized, but there are a lot of decent human beings in Pakistan, including this woman, who are fighting to reform their societies.

[Sparkman]

7. EXACTLY, but there are powerful leadership factions who are barbarians

[Catfight]

3. How can anyone order a gang rape? Savages. nt

[habitual]

4. As Usual, Pressure or No Justice

There is no change in stance here. They only changed their stance on *THIS* case because the spotlight was on!

[FourStarDemocrat]

5. Thanks..I've been following this case closely in recent monthes..

I've never seen such horrible treatment of women and rape victims like what goes on in Pakistan. This has to stop. I think the huge PR mess will have a silver lining as the government is now forced to pay attention to international outrage and their own stupidity. Mukhtar Mai has tremendous strength and courage. I admire her so much.

[Moderator]

8. kick

[WhiteTara]

9. Gang-rape woman's legal victory

This is mercy of the Goddess for sure

A PAKISTANI gang-rape victim won an important victory yesterday when the Supreme Court ordered that 13 men who had been acquitted for their alleged involvement in the crime be rearrested

snip

Six men received death penalties for their alleged roles in the rape after Miss Mai defied local custom and testified against them. Her bravery won international acclaim and the case served to highlight the mistreatment of women in rural Pakistan.

snip
Her legal victory came a day after the Government returned her passport and lifted travel restrictions imposed on her. The case had acquired a political dimension last week when she was stopped from visiting the United States on the instruction of President Musharraf.

snip
“She has been invited to bad-mouth Pakistan,” the President said during a state visit to New Zealand. The administration confiscated Miss Mai’s passport and confined her to Meerwala, her home village in southern Punjab. The Government finally freed her under pressure from Washington. Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State, raised Miss Mai’s case with the Pakistani Foreign Minister last week.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1672858,00.html
:bounce: :toast: :headbang:

[Taxloss]

10. This woman has been extraordinarily brave.

Her story is not an uncommon one, sadly, but her courage is exceptional.

[WhiteTara]

11. I agree

She is the kind of woman I would want as a friend.

[Taxloss]

12. She's a real hero. nt.

[Algomas]

13. Hers is an amazing story of courage...

After being gang raped for a "crime" her brother committed, she had to walk home, almost naked, through a crowd of 300 jeering villagers. She received a cash settlement from her lawsuit against the attackers and built a school for her village which is in a very traditional tribal region. After which, the government released the rapists and returned them to the village.
Miss Mai is one tough cookie!!!

[Coexist]

14. what kind of society punishes a woman for her brother's crime

with a sexual crime?

I heard someone say that "oh she wasn't raped, she was forced to marry."

[Catfight]

16. They are not civilized, a society that treats women worse then an

animal isn't civilized, they are barbaric. This one woman is stronger then the entire US military.

[shance]

15. Thank you for the update.

n/t

[Andromeda]

17. Just saw her on MSNBC...

and she is one gutsy lady. It's about time women took this issue on and fought back because it's been going on too long.

[cally]

18. Great news!

Thanks for posting this.

[PsychoDad]

19. Hamdulilah!

Mukhtaran Mai is a very brave sister.

This has been going on for quite a while between the high courts which declared that the men who raped her go to prison and the tribal courts which kept releasing them.

IIRC- The fact of the matter is that Mukhtaran Mai is herself a scholar of the Quran and Sharia, she is part (if not the founder) of a group which works for women's rights in that part of Pakistan and knew far more about Sharia law than the tribal council which tried her brother for being too friendly with a village girl. It was she who acted as defense council, and was the brunt of their anger when they declared that she was to be raped to atone for the other families honor.

But she was not to be silenced. She took her case to the countries high court and to the High Sharia council of Pakistan, both of which sided with her and declared the judgment of the council illegal and that the men involved be arrested. Although they were arrested, the local authorities released them soon after and arrested her.. then this again was overturned, and she was freed and the men again arrested. This has been going on for a while now :(

She has been advised to move away, but refuses too. She feels her mission is to help the women and others who need legal assistance in her hometown.

Of course the Government of Pakistan is afraid that she will expose the hypocrisy that is rampant in the remote regions of the country. They have spread the vile rumors that she will speak against Pakistan and Islam.

To the contrary, I believe Mukhtaran Mai to be a shining example to the Islamic ulema of what a Muslim should be, and we should join her in raising our voices against the oppression of our sisters.

Wherever that may be.

Jazak Allah Kair

[Senior citizen]

20. Kick! (and nominating) n/t

:kick:

[FizzFuzz]

21. KICK for a Hero!! This woman has a very big mission. recommended too.

[Richard Steele]

22. Recommended. She's a very impressive person who should be heard!

And her story continues to demonstrate that the US-imposed "reforms" in Afghanistan are mostly for show; very little has changed there.