AGL 40.60 Increased By ▲ 0.40 (1%)
AIRLINK 129.30 Increased By ▲ 0.19 (0.15%)
BOP 6.79 Increased By ▲ 0.19 (2.88%)
CNERGY 4.11 Increased By ▲ 0.08 (1.99%)
DCL 8.75 Increased By ▲ 0.30 (3.55%)
DFML 41.40 Increased By ▲ 0.15 (0.36%)
DGKC 87.80 Increased By ▲ 0.80 (0.92%)
FCCL 33.92 Increased By ▲ 0.57 (1.71%)
FFBL 66.40 Increased By ▲ 0.50 (0.76%)
FFL 10.67 Increased By ▲ 0.13 (1.23%)
HUBC 113.41 Increased By ▲ 2.71 (2.45%)
HUMNL 15.80 Increased By ▲ 0.57 (3.74%)
KEL 4.88 Increased By ▲ 0.10 (2.09%)
KOSM 7.65 Decreased By ▼ -0.18 (-2.3%)
MLCF 43.00 Increased By ▲ 1.10 (2.63%)
NBP 61.20 Increased By ▲ 0.70 (1.16%)
OGDC 191.50 Increased By ▲ 8.70 (4.76%)
PAEL 26.80 Increased By ▲ 1.44 (5.68%)
PIBTL 7.26 Increased By ▲ 1.00 (15.97%)
PPL 150.00 Increased By ▲ 2.19 (1.48%)
PRL 25.08 Increased By ▲ 0.52 (2.12%)
PTC 16.30 Increased By ▲ 0.06 (0.37%)
SEARL 71.45 Increased By ▲ 0.95 (1.35%)
TELE 7.25 Decreased By ▼ -0.05 (-0.68%)
TOMCL 36.23 Decreased By ▼ -0.07 (-0.19%)
TPLP 8.00 Increased By ▲ 0.15 (1.91%)
TREET 16.25 Increased By ▲ 0.95 (6.21%)
TRG 51.55 Decreased By ▼ -0.15 (-0.29%)
UNITY 27.25 Decreased By ▼ -0.10 (-0.37%)
WTL 1.27 Increased By ▲ 0.04 (3.25%)
BR100 9,955 Increased By 113.5 (1.15%)
BR30 30,709 Increased By 672.8 (2.24%)
KSE100 93,317 Increased By 796.8 (0.86%)
KSE30 29,041 Increased By 254.9 (0.89%)

Lebanon's parliament on Wednesday scrapped a controversial law allowing rapists who marry their victims to go free, official media and activists said, after a high-profile campaign for its repeal. A proposal to repeal Article 522 of the penal code - which deals with rape, assault, kidnapping and forced marriage - was introduced last year and approved by a parliamentary committee in February.
On Wednesday, it was ratified by the full parliament, the official National News Agency and activist group ABAAD said. "Congratulations to women in Lebanon," the NGO wrote in a statement on its Facebook page. "Today's win is a victory for the dignity of women," it added.
"It is no longer possible to escape punishment for rape and sexual acts carried out by force and coercion," said the group, which has spearheaded the campaign to repeal the much-reviled article. The article, which also dealt with the rape of minors, allowed for the perpetrator of sexual assault to avoid prosecution by marrying their victim.
There are no precise figures on how many rapists marry their victims to avoid punishment, but activists say the practice mainly took place in rural areas. Lebanon's decision comes just over two weeks after Jordan's parliament binned a similar article in its penal code. And in July, Tunisia passed legislation doing the same as part of a bill designed to "end all violence against women."

Comments

Comments are closed.