Print Version: 14-Year-Old Aziza Was Raped by Four Men in Badakhshan

FAIZABAD: Four people were arrested in a rape case of a young girl in Baharak district of northeastern Badakhshan province, police said.

Colonel Abdul Wadood, Baharak district chief told Pajhwok Afghan News on Sunday that these four men brought 14 year old Aziza to a house, raped her and later the girl was recovered from a barn.

He said that two of the rapists were Badakhshan border police officials and the case has been submitted to the prosecution.

Anisa, twelve, another gang-rape victim sits weeping next to her crying father. Anisa was gang-raped by five men some months back. “I want the criminals to be hung,” she says weeping. Her father says the rapists are still free and no action has been taken against them as they are powerful warlords.

However Wahiduddin Arghon human rights commission director in Badakhshan said that only one of the rapists was a police official and was in civil dress while committing the crime.

Arghon quoted victim Aziza, a student of 8th grade that among the four men only Samim was the guy who raped her.

Although one of the perpetrators confessed the crime but regional human rights organization sent an investigative team to find more about the case, Arghon claimed.

Many people thronged to Baharak district police headquarter and demanded severe punishment for wrongdoers, he said.

But Colonel Abdul Wahid, Badakhshan border police commander said that two of the perpetrators had applied two days back to enroll in the police but were rejected.

Zofnoon Natiq women affairs director in the region also proposed harsh punishment for perpetrators.

Although we dont have the exact number of crimes committed against women but we believe this is a very big problem this society currently faces and need to be addressed, she said.

According to human rights report this was the fourth case of its kind in ongoing solar year.

Last August Maulvi Iltafurrahman was accused of raping a 17 years old Raazia in Raghestan district of the same province.

Razia had stated that perpetrator who is 40 raped her so many times before as well, and ought to be punished strictly.

Badakhshan prosecution after its investigation informed that the accused man first raped Raazia 9 months ago but her pregnancy was lost due to excessive beatings.

Mohammad Zahir Zafari director of human rights commission in northeastern zone told this news agency that the main reason behind the violence against women in the region was lack of punishment.

Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) also showed its concern about the crimes against women in the region and called upon the government to prosecute the perpetrators in open court and proposed harsh punishment for them.

According to the commission report more than 2000 cases of violence against women were registered and 77 of them were rape attempts this year, while registered cases in previous solar year were 1800 but in 1385 solar year this number was just 165 cases.

PAN, January 11, 2009

14-Year-Old Aziza Was Raped by Four Men in Badakhshan

Many people thronged to Baharak district police headquarter and demanded severe punishment for wrongdoers.