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March 29, 2012

Report: Afghan Women Persecuted for Fleeing Abuse 
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A new report from Human Rights Watch says women escaping abuse in
Afghanistan are facing harsh government persecution. Hundreds of women
have been jailed for fleeing domestic abuse, forced prostitution, and
violent attacks. Human Rights Watch executive Director Kenneth Roth
criticized Afghan courts for targeting women.

Kenneth Roth: "Now the Afghan Supreme Court has said that the crime of
running away can be found in sharia (Islamic law) but when we looked
around the world, no other government thinks that running away is in
sharia, Afghanistan stands alone in that interpretation. This misuse of
the made up crime of running away in emblematic of the difficult
position that women find themselves in Afghanistan today."



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