A horrifying story from Reuters (thanks to Mackie):
LAHORE, Pakistan (Reuters) - A Pakistani court on Friday ordered the release next week of 12 men connected to a notorious gang-rape case, including six convicted of the crime, court officials said.The men, detained in connection with the 2002 rape of Mukhataran Mai, were ordered to be freed by the high court in the central province of Punjab, officials of the court said.
Authorities had petitioned a review board of the court to extend the detention of the 12, which expires next Monday, but the court rejected the plea, the officials said.
It was the latest twist in a case that provoked an outcry in Pakistan and focused international attention on the treatment of women in the country, particularly in rural areas, where sometimes brutal tribal customs hold sway.
The original trial before an anti-terrorism court in 2002 found that Mai was gang-raped on the orders of a traditional village council after her brother -- who was 12 at the time -- was judged to have offended the honor of a powerful clan by befriending a woman from their tribe.
Six men were originally convicted of the crime and sentenced to death, but five were later acquitted on appeal to the Punjab provincial court, which cited a lack of evidence. A sixth man had his death sentence commuted to life imprisonment.
The provincial government subsequently intervened and ordered that the men be detained for three months pending the outcome of an appeal by the victim against the acquittal. Six men who served on the village council were detained at the same time.
"The review board has held that there is no justification for the detention of these people and has ordered their release after depositing surety bonds of 50,000 rupees ($840) from each of them," Malik Saleem, a lawyer for the 12 men, told Reuters....
President Pervez Musharraf, who has been trying to project Pakistan as a moderate and progressive Muslim nation, has taken a personal interest in the case, saying it was tarnishing the country's image overseas.
Yep.
Dear God.
Dear God in Heaven.
No matter how far you think your imagination can take you, Islam - and especially Pakistan - have a place that is darker and more perverted.
I think there is no doubt that this sentence is a deliberate insult thrown in the face of non-Muslim public opinion. I have no doubt that the judges knew that the non-Muslim world had been following this case and supporting the female victim. This is a formal, deliberate, unashamed spit - or rather vomit - on all our notions of justice, human rights, and due process.
They have shown what they think of us. What they think of life.
Attention!
Calling all pedophiles, rapists and would-be-rapists!
The moongod travel agency offers you the perfect deal! Our special "criminal-pleasures" package includes:-
1. 10 minute conversion routine in an exotic local mosque
2. Flight ticket to Pakistan
3. Free accomodation and indoctrination
4. Choice picks amongst village belles for rape, mass-rape, gang-rape and stoning!!
5. Free courtroom charade where you are guarenteed acquitted and get to enjoy the rape of justice as well!
6. If you're a drug addict, even better, pls note Pakistan is conduit and consumer to Afghanistan's heroin production!
Satisfaction guaranteed! So overwhelmingly guarenteed in fact, that your flight ticket offered is one-way! Believe me, you won't wanna come back from paradise!....
So, what are you waiting for. Pick up the phone now and dial 1-800-muzi-rape NOW!
/sarc off (need I say it?)
Well I suppose you really couldn't expect much else do you.Can't wait to here from KT and Shukri about how this is CULTURAL not Islamic.
But I thought Islam empowered women ? You see 1,400 years ago before mohammad invented islam, ....etc, etc. Savages.
Good thing they weren't kissing her in the back of a cab!
Then you get some real jail time!
(See adjacent DW posting about UAR justice.)
Time for the women of Islam to cut the sh*t and take out the pruning shears ...once the fellahs doze off.
Loreena Bobbit can be their new Muslim icon-ette.
So, what are you waiting for. Pick up the phone now and dial 1-800-muzi-rape NOW!
/sarc off (need I say it?)
Posted by: voletti at June 11, 2005 04:08 PM
Good one voletti! I'm booking my dream vacation right now!