Women urge Morocco rape law reform
- 12 years ago
Protesters in the Moroccan capital, Rabat, call for an end to legislation that allows rapists to marry their victims.
The demonstration was sparked by the suicide of 16-year-old Amina El-Filali who was in exactly that position.
She swallowed rat poison last week, after six months of marriage to the man who attacked her.
Amina's sister says it's time for change.
SOUNDBITE: HAMIDA FILALI, SISTER OF AMINA, SAYING (Arabic):
"We want a new law. We also want an end to rape in Morocco but if this law is not repealed this would be impossible. We want a law that punishes the criminal and protects the rights of Moroccan women."
Human rights campaigners say the controversial marriage law was created solely to avoid damage to the reputation of a rape victim's family.
Such victims in Morocco carry a stigma of shame and dishonour.
They're often suspected by police and the courts of consenting to sex and they get little help to rebuild their lives.
Paul Chapman, Reuters
The demonstration was sparked by the suicide of 16-year-old Amina El-Filali who was in exactly that position.
She swallowed rat poison last week, after six months of marriage to the man who attacked her.
Amina's sister says it's time for change.
SOUNDBITE: HAMIDA FILALI, SISTER OF AMINA, SAYING (Arabic):
"We want a new law. We also want an end to rape in Morocco but if this law is not repealed this would be impossible. We want a law that punishes the criminal and protects the rights of Moroccan women."
Human rights campaigners say the controversial marriage law was created solely to avoid damage to the reputation of a rape victim's family.
Such victims in Morocco carry a stigma of shame and dishonour.
They're often suspected by police and the courts of consenting to sex and they get little help to rebuild their lives.
Paul Chapman, Reuters