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| Afghanistan |
| Child Bride Demands Justice as Attorney Defends Her Imprisonment |
| 2015-05-14 |
| [Tolo News] A child bride named Arzo awaits trial after being imprisoned three months ago for allegedly drinking alcohol and bringing shame to her husband's family. While her family claims that she was tortured and sold-off by her in-laws have clearly complicated the case, the Attorney General's office says it plans to move forward with charges against the young girl. Arzo was married to her cousin when she was just thirteen, with little choice in the matter. She and her brother have claimed that after torturing her with a hot grill, her in-laws traded her to a money exchanger to who they owed 750,000 AFG. The Attorney General's office has maintained that the girl's case has and continues to be pursued in accordance to the law. Yet, despite obvious signs of inflicted pain on her body in the form of grill burns, the charges being levied by the office are entirely against the young girl, with none brought against her husband's family. "These are the signs of torture all over my body, being burnt with a grill," Arzo said as she showed the scars on her skin. "What kind of justice is this? Those who are guilty are walking freely and innocents are being placed in durance vile Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! ," Arzo told TOLOnews on Wednesday. According Arzo's family, she and her brother were locked away Don't shoot, coppers! I'm comin' out! for drinking alcohol after they approached law enforcement about the mistreatment she suffered under her in-laws. Her third brother, Sher Agha, has demanded a full investigation into his sister's in-laws. "If the Attorney General cooperates and discloses telephone conversations related to the groom's family, our statements regarding them selling my sister in exchange for 750,000 AFG will prove true," Sher Agha said. "If our claims are proven wrong, the government can execute my sister and brother who are sitting in jail." Meanwhile, ...back at the argument, Livia grabbed for Jane's hair to make her point. Jane elbowed her in the face in rebuttal... Sheree, Arzo's widowed mother, has also called for justice, and even went so far as to threaten suicide if it is not served. "The government must address our demands, otherwise I will commit self-immolation," Shereen threatened on Wednesday. Arzo's grandparents have had to come to her defense and seek out support for her in light of the absence of her father, who has passed away. "We consulted every office and no one met our demand," Arzo's grandfather Mohammad Haleem said. Meanwhile, ...back at the argument, Livia grabbed for Jane's hair to make her point. Jane elbowed her in the face in rebuttal... in a phone conversation with TOLOnews, Arzo's father-in-law rejected the allegations that she had been tortured or bartered and maintained that she was simply imprisoned after drinking alcohol and bringing shame to his family. Arzo's family has accused the Attorney General's office of taking bribes from her in-laws. Unsurprisingly, the Attorney General's spokespeople have categorically rejected those claims. "We investigated the claims of both sides and made the decision in the light of law," Attorney General front man Basir Azizi said on Wednesday. "The case has now been sent to the primary court." "Based on the civil law and the law on elimination of violence against women, the legal age for girls to get married is 16, but unfortunately, due to poverty and old customs in Afghanistan's societies, the girls are forced to get married earlier than their legal ages, and this is why we witness such issues. But in this case, I think both the families are guilty," female MP from Parwan Samia Sadat said. |
| Posted by:Fred |