Heavily pregnant woman gang-raped in Jawzjan

SHIBREGHAN (Pajhwok): A heavily pregnant woman, a policeman’s wife, was gang-raped by five men in northwestern Jawzjan province, an official said on Monday, as the victim threatened to commit suicide.

A relative of the 17-year-old woman told Pajhwok Afghan News she was only a month away from giving birth when five men rapped her last night in Shiberghan, the provincial capital.

She was beaten and her jewelries stolen by the rapists, who tied hands and feet of her father, the relative said, but refused to provide his name.

Jawzjan civil hospital director Dr. Mohammad Haroon Elbegi confirmed medical test showed the woman had been raped. He said the victim had signs of torture on her head.

The victim, whose spouse is a policeman stationed in Ghor province, said she had not identified the men. She asked the government to bring the perpetrators to justice. “I would commit suicide if the perpetrators are not punished,” she warned.

Provincial human rights commission head for the zone, Maghfirat Samimi called the incident as “shocking” and asked security officials to arrest the perpetrators and punish them. “Not punishing rapists is the main cause of increasing sexual assaults,” she added.

Deputy Governor Abdur Rahman Mahmodi said two of the suspects had been arrested and efforts to capture the rest were underway.

mds/ma

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