Afghan President Orders Investigation into the Burning of a Woman in Kabul

Ashraf Ghani, the President of Afghanistan, condemned the murder and burning of a 32-year-old woman named Farkhunda in central Kabul and ordered the Ministry of Interior to investigate the circumstances of the incident. This young woman was beaten to death and then set on fire by a large group of men who accused her of burning a Quran on Thursday, March 19. Videos released from the incident show numerous old and young men chanting slogans such as 'Allahu Akbar' and 'Long Live Islam' while indifferent police officers looked on as the young woman was killed with sticks, stones, and knives. Farkhunda's family stated that their daughter had been struggling with mental illness for 16 years. The newspaper Hasht-e Subh (published in Afghanistan) reported that the President's order included the formation of a special commission with several 'religious scholars' to investigate the incident. Mr. Ashraf Ghani stated, 'No one can act as a judge and punish the people.' The President of Afghanistan described the execution of 'arbitrary punishment' as 'against Islamic law and justice.' The Afghan Presidential Office also announced that the government condemns 'this act filled with violence' and clearly stated that ensuring justice is the responsibility of Afghanistan's courts, and those who carry out violent and terror-inducing acts outside the legal framework will be dealt with seriously. The newspaper Hasht-e Subh also reported that an individual who claimed to have participated in Farkhunda's murder has been arrested by security forces. The Ministry of Interior of Afghanistan had previously reported the arrest of four others in connection with this case. However, as seen on one of the Facebook pages, an individual named Sharif Baghlani, who claims to have killed Farkhunda, remains free and continues to defend his actions on his Facebook page. While many Afghan users on social media condemned this incident, many others, including government officials, supported Farkhunda's murder. The spokesperson for the Kabul police, the head of the Senate's complaints commission, and the deputy of the Ministry of Endowments and Hajj were among the officials who defended the killing of Ms. Farkhunda. The Kabul police spokesperson later expressed regret for his statements. (Warning: Some images are violent and may be disturbing to viewers.)