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Jawed Basharat / AP
This photo taken Dec. 28 shows Sahar Gul, a 15-year-old Afghan wife, being carried in a wheelchair to a hospital in Baghlan, north of Kabul, Afghanistan.
A 10-man police force is hunting down the husband of a teen bride who was tortured and locked away in a toilet by her in-laws for months after she refused to become a prostitute, Afghan officials told the BBC.
"This is incredibly serious and not acceptable and all those responsible will be brought in to make an example to others," an Interior Ministry spokesman told the BBC on Tuesday.
Sahar Gul, 15, was in critical condition when she was rescued from a house in Afghanistan’s northern Baghlan province last week, after her neighbors reported hearing her crying and moaning in pain.
The case has shocked Afghanistan, though rights activists say serious abuses against women and girls in the ultra-conservative society are common. President Hamid Karzai has said that whoever used violence against Gul will be punished.
Her mother-in-law and sister-in-law were arrested, but her husband, Ghulam Sakhi, 30, has eluded authorities, Interior Ministry spokesman Sediq Sediqi said.
Sakhi was identified as a soldier in the Afghan National Army who served in Helmand Province, The New York Times reported.
'One of the worst cases'
According to officials in northeastern Baghlan province, Gul's in-laws kept the girl in a basement for six months, ripped her fingernails out, tortured her with hot irons and broke her fingers.
"She was married seven months ago, and was originally from Badakhshan province. Her in-laws tried to force her into prostitution to earn money," Rahima Zarifi, head of women's affairs in Baghlan, told Reuters.
Gul was covered in scars and bruises, with one eye still swollen shut six days after her rescue. She was being treated in a government hospital in Kabul, but her recovery needed extensive care and she may have to be sent to India, doctors said.
"This is one of the worst cases of violence against Afghan women. The perpetrators must be punished so others learn a lesson," health minister Suraya Dalil told journalists after meeting with the victim last week.
"This is an un-Islamic and inhuman act,” Baghlan governor, Munshi Abdul Majid, told The New York Times.
Distressing chapter in Afghan culture
Despite progress in women's rights and freedom since the fall of the Taliban a decade ago, women throughout the country are still at risk of abduction, rape, forced marriage and being traded as commodity.
It can be difficult for women to escape violent situations at home, because of relentless social and sometimes legal pressure to stay in marriages.
Running away from an abusive husband is considered a "moral crime," for which women can be imprisoned in Afghanistan.
Some rape victims have also been imprisoned, because sex outside marriage, even when the woman is forced, is considered adultery, another "moral crime."
Msnbc.com's Sevil Omer and Reuters contributed to this report.
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Tell me again why we are there for these sub human garbage? The whole of Afghanistan and for that mater all their neighbors are the most worthless humans(and I say that lightly) on the planet.
Time for the liberal defenders of Islam to ride to the rescue with their illogical, nonsensical defense of another unspeakable act of Muslim brutality. It's all very predictable. They'll tell us that Islam is a peaceful religion. Then they'll tell us that Islam respects women. Then they'll tell us all religions do this today, in the 21st century. Then they'll tell us that we have no business criticising this behavior because it is their culture and therefore ok and none of our business. Then they'll tell us about the Crusades 700 years ago. Then they'll tell us about the KKK.
Bottom line they have no valid defence so in every case of this kind of Muslim barbarism they resort to the nonsense above, as they do over and over to excuse the inexcusable.
LIBERAL DEFENDERS????????????????????? It is the right wing's war moron! Conservative jerks say we must defend these creatins. Conservatives say we must provide democracy for these dirt bags. Go drink you Kool-Aid, troll.
David -- I see the truth hurts, even causes ad hominem attacks. You are better than that. By the way, the commander in chief -- Obama -- who has been prosecuting the war for years now could have ended it at any time but has chosen not to. Why no vile language for him? Confused?
Well we all know that the well known liberal George Bush sent our troops into Afghanistan. Now don't we?
Devil's Son --- We know that well known liberal Barack Obama has kept troops in Afghanistan for years when he could have removed them at any time. Now don't we?
If you go far enough back, we know that it was the Reagan / Bush administration that gave these guys the guns and money in the first place. Granted, it was intended for them to fight the soviets, but blowback is a biatch.
Someone has to help them along the evolution path that was lost, I guess in a sand storm, never to be found again for hundreds of years so far!
It looks however that we're not having much luck finding it for them. It's not in iraq, have not even found a trace of evolution in afganistan. It's definetly not in pakistan, that unless all else fails, theres no reason to even be checking there! But there is hope, soon we'll be checking iran to see if the evolution path is there. Then maybe, just maybe, get them all started on the path of evolution and being human.
None of this has anything to do with Obama, Bush, or even Reagan. It has to do with how non-Western countries view women and treat them as subhuman property. It has to do with how Islamic men, in particular, are so hateful of women that they go to barbaric lengths to keep them terrified and submissive. That place was a hellhole before this country was even born, and it will be a hellhole for centuries to come through no fault of ours.
@gary-309869, don't know how to break it to you, but Obama has been winding down BOTH of the wars that G.W. started. He has ended the unjust war in Iraq (for which G.W. and all his administration should be prosecuted) and he is winding down the Afghan war as well. You guys always flip-flop, though, berating him for ending the Iraq war just when he promised to.
Wow...have none of you any sympathy of anyone else? All this hate... This girl (no woman) was TORTURED and all you guys can talk about is political finger pointing.
This photo is just one of the reasons I believe that the WEST needs to be in Afghanistan. I just wish we would stop kissing Karzai's ass. When things are so bad that we need to invade and occupy a country, do the occupation right, impose our martial law until the new government is ready to take over and screw this "respect for other culture" crap.
Ottowa,
Well originally we were there to find bin Laden, and as a part of that we kicked out the Taliban. However the Afghans welcomed the Taliban back in with open arms after a few years, so why we're there now I have no idea.
Pull out and give the Afghans the "government" they want: the Taliban. Then you won't be reading about the kind of incident described in the article because it will be just a part of everyday life.
UDonnoBro,
Do you think this girl and the vast majority of Afghans want to live like this? NO!!!
Devils Son, please refrain from mentioning who got us MIRED in Afghanistan, gary and his conservative ilk don't really like to hear facts.
MOSinEUR: While I don't agree with us being there at this point for any reason, it's nice to see that there are actually others out there that aren't sheep. I always see the bible bashers and thumpers calling each other sheeple, but if there is a time to look in the mirror it is now. The sheeple are the democrats and republicans who can't think for themselves and sit around whining about whose fault it all is based on Bill O Reilly and the LA Times opinions
The only guy in this section that makes any sense at all is Javaskull. MLK could be president, and this kind of torture would still be going on. Our support or non-support has nothing to do with it.
To all of you supporting getting out of AF/PAK, I might suggest that this is one of the things that we as a nation are trying to prevent. All of you denigrate the NATO effort to bring Afghanistan out of the 13th century, but when we stop, you complain about terror, womens rights being violated, kids being abused, etc.
We are supposed to be "the bright shining light" of freedom for people, but when we work top make the light brighter, you complain. If we don't do what you think is right, you complain. Frankly, it all reminds me of my ex, the schizophrenic - NOBODY is EVER doing the right thing.
Take your meds.
The US Congress? OBL via 9/11?
This is a travesty, yet there are abuse cases like this here in the States.. Yes, people are prosecuted, but none the less it happens.. It doesn't even matter the race of the person, it happens ALL OVER THE WORLD.. It's the INDIVIDUALS responsible, and even though the COuntry is notorius for its mistreatment of woman, I doubt this type of abuse is acceptable.. I come from a medium sized City in MA, and for the 38 years I have been alive, I've lived comfortably without violence or fear.. Two months ago, while waiting for a bus, a woman asked me for and I denied her a ciggarette.. She beat the hell outta me.. The example: I was able to wait at the stop, and the thousands of people that walked by me in the 3 years I waited at that stop everyday never bothered me.. Until that one woman.. Her race, my race, irrelevent, could have been anyone.. My point is, there are Millions of people, not everyone of them is a sick weird freak.. Most of these people, are prisoners in their own Country..
Our lovely CIA is responsible for most of the crap that has been going on in south asia since the 50s. I don't even have to prove it anymore, the truth is out there.
Go to Divorce courts in any State in the USA, they're open to the public.and you'll hear terrible stories of male on female abuse,terrible...read American newspapers.....of course, few people read more than a few paragraphs of news each day, so most Americans are unaware of the propensity of many American men to beat up their wives or girl friends.
As far as the Taliban is concerned,the US armed them, empowered them, and Osama Bin Laden, and his Al Quaeda, during the Reagan-Bush (George H.W. Bush) presidenicies...we provided training, weapons,including thousands of Stinger ground to air missiles etc.; The average Afghanistani does NOT want these ultra conservative Taliban in power again...however, after the US goes in and kicks out the Taliban in one area, the US then leaves for their home base and the locals know that the Taliban will return and the locals are not fighters, so they are in fear of the returning Taliban, and they know that ,ultimately Alexander the Great fled from Afghanistan after failing to conquer it, and so did ancient Persia and so did the English Army and so did the Russian Army.........and so shall we........
Singbiker - yeah Obama is winding down the war just in time for the elections. How convenient!
David, Tampa, you're suspended for a day for violating #1 of the Code of Honor.
Whoops.
"Some of the comments that have been uttered about Islam do not reflect the sentiments of my government or the sentiments of most Americans. Islam, as practiced by the vast majority of people, is a peaceful religion, a religion that respects others. Ours is a country based upon tolerance and we welcome people of all faiths in America."
Remarks by President George W. Bush in a statement to reporters during a meeting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan
The Oval Office, Washington, DC
November 13, 2002
WTF is wrong with these people that they would condone a so called marriage between a 15 year old and a 30 year old. What were her parents thinking? I bet she was sold with her parents knowing full well what her "in-laws" had in store for her.
May her God give her peace, because he sure as hell does nothing to protect the females from these backward, horrible men who hide behind a God and claim to be following a Gods laws.
WTF???? What do you mean WTF ? It is perfectly legal in the State of Indiana at 15. There are a lot more "CONSERVATIVE" states where it is OK at 16.
Indiana marriage law:
Minimum Legal Age With Parental Consent
Male: 17; Female: 17
Minimum Legal Age Without Parental Consent
Male: 18; Female: 18
as if america is much different. in Iowa, a Jewish professor that spoke out against local issues found his wife threatened by 'good' Christians, forcing them to flee the state for their lives.
Oh would you knock it off Steve. It had to happen. A story like this and someone had to bring Christianity up to divert attention away. Either you're a Muslim, or just a liberal JERK.
So that makes it ok then right steve? This is a story about muslims .Just another retarded example of liberal logic .
unbelievable ----------- Steve will never actually focus on the events in the story when Islamic violence is depicted. Since he knows the behavior described is quintessentially Islamic and is indefensible , he inevitably resorts to an attempt to change the subject and smear some other religion. This is his modus operandi. Almost always his target is Christianity. And when he does this he invariably receives copious support from his liberal fellow travelers who share his aversion to any criticism of Islam and his mindless venom for Christianity.
Does anyone know where these guys are getting Islamic from? It seems to me that it was one inhuman family that did this. They're Afghan so they must be muslim, but weren't two of them arrested? Did Christians go over there and arrest them? Don't remember reading that, so much for the conservative ideal of personal responsibility. From what I remember reading, the dirt bag husband was a soldier who was fighting against the Taliban. I guess the Taliban must want to establish a Christian state, if they're being attacked by good Muslims.
Well Partly since afghanistan is 99% muslim I guess we're assuming .
Steve, there is a difference between ignorant fools breaking the law and the ways of a whole culture of ignorant fools who create and follow unjust laws.
If her beating was for not peforming prostitution would they condone the act at all. Or wait and see why her husband and family treated her this way, can you imagine, she like many others might have deserved it! Thats the sad part and what makes this different Steve.
Steve; you're an Al Qaeda mole; that comment has to be the worst ever posted on this type of topic; please withdraw your name from MSNBC's newsvine.
Maddy, she wasn't beaten for 'performing prostitution', her husband and his family beat her because she REFUSED to perform prostitution.
Enough, you didn't really read or comprehend Maddy's comment before firing one off did you?
Vote for Ron Paul. The only candidate who recognizes the foolishness of a policy of foreign intervention. (No. thats not the same thing as isolationism as the media would have you believe!)
Question...Why was Wordweevil's comment collapsed. I saw nothing derogatory in his message?
Just peaceful Muslims doing what they do best and that is make themselves look like idiots to the rest of the world. This is the group that want to conquer and take over all non-muslim countries and impose this crap on the rest of us. Bring it on Islam, your day is done.
Sure Karzai is going to have them hunted down and punished. Have his forces yet found and punished the insurgents who hung an 8 year old boy as revenge against the boy's father? Is the woman imprisoned for being raped still being required to marry her rapist in exchange for her freedom?
Most Afghans may abhor this kind of violence, but their leader is Karzai who appears to lead just about the most ineffectual, corrupt and incompetent government, right on a par with Pakistan.
I thought this treatment of a woman was fairly standard there in the armpit of the world
was quoted as an "un-Islamic" act?!!!lmao.....but blowing themselves up, killing innocents, and calling for a holy war against anyone who isnt muslim is?Youre right by labeling it the armpit of the world.Not all muslims are terrorist....but all terrorists are muslims, whats up with that?
The perpetrator must be punished - yeah I'm sure he'll get off after paying a light bribe .
These places and coutries have not yet emerged from the far, far past.
And if not educated and rid of Islam, never will.
Lets amend your statement to "Extremists are destroying humanity".. Not all Christians are extremisits.. Not all religions are met to the extreme.. It's INDIVIDUALS who take what they are taught to their own extremes, that is the problem.. Not the religion itself.. It's interpretation..
Let's amend your amendment.
Individuals are taught by peers.
And unfortunately, a lot of people under that influence cease to be individuals.
This is the danger of all religion.
If people actually read the Bible, they wouldn't be sheep to others.. I don't go to church every week.. I praise God every Sunday morning, and read my Bible.. I only fellowship at a church about once a month.. I do this because it's how I choose to follow.. Not by what someone else thinks is suitable for me.. I am a living testiment to those around me, that God works in my life..
Interesting that this is the misognyistic past that the Christofascist GOP candidates in Iowa tonight would like to impose on all Americans.
But what's your take on the ACTUAL story ? Let's see if you can even say , without bringing Christians into the conversation .These are muslims treatin women badly in THIS story .
Skrekk - try to stay on topic.
"This is an un-Islamic and inhuman act,” Baghlan governor, Munshi Abdul Majid, told The New York Times.
Islam terror group tells Christians: Leave north Nigeria or be attacked
I am having trouble believing the Govenors statements when all that I ever hear about islamic people is violence. Unfortunately it is only the weak and innocent who pay for the crimes and stupidity of these people.
India? They're sending her to India for medical treatment? They don't treat women any better there than they do in Afghanistan!
J Reid, as far as India goes, there are large rual areas that are as backwards as they come, BUT there are places that are FIRST WORLD and people from all over the world go there for state of the art AFFORDABLE medical care.
Jonathan Reid, India treats American patients on a regular basis because they can't afford to be treated in US hospitals. Indian doctors must be able to do their jobs.
RE post:
WTF???? What do you mean WTF ? It is perfectly legal in the State of Indiana at 15. There are a lot more "CONSERVATIVE" states where it is OK at 16.
The more CONSERVATIVE a society is the more violent it is the more rape the more corruption, the more perverted religion.
Why my goodness people, the Christo-crazies in the USA are so proud, so confident, so arrogant, that they KNOW that they are going to raptured so they will not have to die.
I don't care whether you are Jewish or not, THAT"S CHUTZPA!!!!
He'll give them a goat and he'll be set free. The whole country is so screwed up. I hope she fully recovers. Nobody deserves that. Arrest her parents too.
Does anyone know where these guys are getting Islamic from? It seems to me that it was one inhuman family that did this. They're Afghan so they must be muslim, but weren't two of them arrested? Did Christians go over there and arrest them? Don't remember reading that, so much for the conservative ideal of personal responsibility. From what I remember reading, the dirt bag husband was a soldier who was fighting against the Taliban. I guess the Taliban must want to establish a Christian state, if they're being attacked by good Muslims.
As long as US troops are there the Afghans have to pretend to be keeping their noses clean. Once we leave and the Taliban is allowed to take over again (which is what the Afghans want) this kind of incident will be commonplace again.
seriously it has nothing with them being Muslim. They were reported by neighbors who obviously would condone that type of violence. Two so far were arrested and she was rescued. One evil family, and everyone on here turns it into a Religious and Political rant. Freakin calm down.
Certainly Afganistan has a long way to go but who in this country of ours really believes that women are treated better? Men in this country who beat and torture (and let's not forget children) serve very little time. So what makes us any better, is it the women's shelter's that are scattered around the country? Or is it any better that a Texas judge was shown beating his daughter with a leather belt? Riiiiiiight, he didn't pull her fingernails out so I guess that was better.
I know,. I know it's better here in this christian country because the jails here have women in them who snapped and killed their abuser's. Try doing some work in a shelter for abused women, or volunteer in a hospital some time then tell me how much better it is here guys.
Allison, if you believe that things are no better here, you are free to go live someplace else. Go live in an Islamic country for a year, then come tell us how bad women have it here.
Allison, I'll tell you why it's better here. If you were there, you wouldn't be on your computer saying stupid crap because you'd get beat for dishonoring the country. Instead, you'd be out selling your body for your family hoping you don't get arrested. If you refused to be a prostitute, you'd get tortured. If you left your family, you'd go to jail for dishonoring them. America is by no place perfect but live somewhere else for even a month and then come back here to say that stuff. Enjoy yourself, Afghanistan is nice this time of year.
Allison ---------- Anyone with a functioning brain and even vestigial judgment knows women are far better off here than in Afghanistan. Your view to the contrary is breathtakingly misguided. If you could go to Afghanistan and truly see the reality of the way women live you would be permanently traumatized.
The only reason he is in trouble is that he was trying to force her to be a prostitute. The beating and abuse is allowed. Hmmm.
I wonder if this was the exception, or if it is the custom to force wives into prostitution for the good of the family.
One wonders about the Afgan culture.
Before we condemn the entire Afghani culture, let's bear in mind that the ONLY ones who make th enews are the sickos. The average, everyday afghani will not make the news. The guy or gal going to school, living a normal life, is not exciting. So we get skewed by what the press throws out because the only thing we hear is stories like this.
Let's just hope they use their normal harsh Islamic justice on these people who would do this to this girl. If it is what she wants, I would definitely say she should be fasttracked for citizenship and a free plane trip to the States or her nation of choice.
Gouranga, I agree with you up to the point of saying that she should get fast tracked for Citizenship. If I had my way, I would take every refuge in the US, train them on how to fight, arm them and send them back to their home countries to help fix their homelands.
When all the good people leave, all that is left are the scum bags. Time to change the way we do business.
Leave Afganisthan to the Afgans; but ensure that Pakistan keeps their grubby hands out of there or else it will return to being a hell on Earth.
wow such a peacefull and loving religion that islam is ! we should all convert to islam we can pimp out our wives and pay the bills ! kill all taliban sicko's now, do not hesitate take the gloves off the american soldiers and attack before they get here !
Golly fellas , I done thought that most marriages were a form of prostitution , for what it cost to have her around and what I get ,it would sure be cheaper by the hour
Well, not all women are money grubbers.. You have to learn how to pick better..
yet another shining example of those following the religion of peace and compassion. these sub-humans will never assimilate into modern civilization.
These terrible crimes happen in countries all over the world. It is not the fault of the religious or ethnic background of both the perpetrator and the victim. It is the fault of the government that it is difficult for women in the middle east to get out of abusive situations and that they are criminally charged for being the victim of crimes such as rape. However, in every country in the world women are abused by husbands, in-laws, parents, boyfriends, girlfriends and complete strangers and many of them have no way out without intervention from someone else.
Oh please, this type of abuse directed at women is exactly the kind of thing muslims support. Once the USA pulls out and the Afghans let the Taliban get into power this type of thing will go on all the time.
Karzai as usual is lying through his teeth - "this is un-muslim"? This is part and parcel of the muslim religion, women are property, good only for breeding and slaving for their lord and master. Cows get better treatment!
And, as usual with this whole administration, president and congress, we pulled out of the wrong country. Now Iraq is being taken over by Iran, while we stay in this dung heap of Afghanistan. And if we did control the country, we would have a real title - King of crap!