Lahore, Pakistan
Four of the men convicted in a notorious gang rape were freed this week, pending a new trial by the Supreme Court. In 2002, the village council in remote Meerwala ordered that Mukhtaran Mai be gang-raped by four men, as a punishment for her family because her brother had taken a lover from a rival tribe. The four men, along with two council members, were sentenced to death. Last month, an Islamic court overturned the convictions, but then a higher Islamic court overturned that ruling. The Supreme Court agreed to take the case, but set no date for the new trial, and the men have been released. Gang rape is common in tribal areas of Pakistan, but victims almost never come forward. Mai, who has become a hero among Pakistani women, says she now fears for her life.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Quiz of The Week: 15 – 21 NovemberQuiz Have you been paying attention to The Week’s news?
-
Can the UK do more on climate change?Today's Big Question Labour has shown leadership in the face of fraying international consensus, but must show the public their green mission is ‘a net benefit, not a net cost’
-
The Week Unwrapped: Will US Catholics rebel against the Pope?Podcast Plus what are the ethics of freezing your late partner?
