Honour killings worst form of abuse: Samar

KABUL as the worst form of violence.

Sima Samar, the rights watchdog head, told a gathering in Kabul that the violations were linked a low level of awareness and poor law enforcement.

She informed the audience, including representatives of civil society organisations and the judiciary, the commission had conducted nationwide research on reasons for honour killings, rape and the situation of victims, as well as the vulnerable individuals.

Samar said the six-month research, covering 13 provinces, was conducted with the cooperation of civil society and justice sector representatives. The report, drawing attention to combating the violence against women, will be released in a month’s time.

“Honour killings and rape are the worst imaginable human right abuses. Illegally preventing women from leading a life in accordance with their choice amounts to insulting human dignity,” she remarked.

Particularly concerned at rape cases involving minors, the rights campaigner revealed they had registered 4,500 incidents of sexual abuse. In the past eight months, 40 cases of rape and 75 honour killings were recorded, she said.

The figures show an increase over previous year’s 3,000 incidents reported to the commission.

Siddiqullah Aqiq, the Kabul appellate court judge, believed the rise in anti-women violence was tied to lack of religious education. He urged detective organs to play an effective role in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

About two months back, eight alleged rapists, killers, kidnappers and armed robbers were executed inside the Pul-i-Charkhi Prison in Kabul in compliance with President Hamid Karzai’s decree.

Kabul Governor Abdul Jabbar Taqwa suggested poverty alleviation and employment opportunities could help arrest the crime rate in the country. He hailed the commission’s report, promising cooperation with relevant state organs in checking violence against females.

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