Khaama Press, September 17, 2012

70% jailed Afghan women are accused of home-escape

By Sadaf Shinwari

Chief of the parliamentarian commission for human rights, civil society and women’s affairs Fawzia Koufi expressed concerns regarding the Afghan women detainees where majority of them have been arrested for escaping their homes.

Fawzia Koufi said more than 70% of the Afghan women have been jailed for escaping their homes despite this is not crime in Afghan law.

She said, “This is a major issue and women are jailed over adultery after escaping from their home. If the government does not have a specific law in this regard then it should be referred to us in order to modify a regulation in a bid to clarify the rules and prevent misunderstanding and misuse by Afghan attorney and police regarding the Afghan women.”

Afghan justice minister along with the Afghan women’s affairs minister and deputy administration of the Afghan interior ministry also attended the session to discuss the ways on how to prevent jailing Afghan women who are fleeing from their houses.

Afghan women’s affairs minister Husn Banu Ghazanfar said jailing Afghan women over fleeing charges from their house is one of the major issues.

She said, “Forced marriages, difference in age of couples, violence, use divorce comments and several other issues are the main motives which forces Afghan girls and married women to flee from their homes.”

In the meantime Afghan justice minister Habibullah Ghalib said fleeing from home is not a crime in Afghan law and no case should be referred to Afghan courts in this regard.

He said, “Escaping from home is not a crime and this was discussed during sessions last year. The issue was also discussed with the chief of the Afghan Supreme Court which was approved and was sent to concerned organizations by Afghan Justice High Council.”

In the meantime deputy administrative of the Afghan interior ministry Gen. Mirza Mohammad Yarmand said women escaping from their homes without committing adultery are not a crime based on the crime law of Afghanistan.

According to reports majority of the Afghan girls and women are leaving their homes to prevent from violence however they are reportedly facing more issues once they flee from their homes and majority of them are not accepted by their family to return.

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