Pakistani Woman Raped and Sentenced to Death

In Pakistan, a coalition of 12 human rights groups has urged the government to grant clemency to a woman who was raped and subsequently sentenced to death for having sexual relations. Zafaran Bibi, who was raped, was convicted two weeks ago in a court in western Pakistan for the crime of illicit sexual relations. Her conviction was based on an Islamic law that requires a woman who has been raped to provide four male witnesses to prove her claim. Human rights groups argue that this condition is extremely difficult to meet. One human rights activist stated at a press conference in Islamabad today that Ms. Bibi was raped two years ago by her brother-in-law while her husband was in prison. The conviction of this woman resulted from a complaint filed by her father-in-law, who accused her of having illicit sexual relations. A spokesperson for the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan stated that the court has released the rapist, and now Ms. Bibi faces the death penalty. Human rights groups in Pakistan have formed a coalition to abolish discriminatory laws and are calling for changes to the laws regarding sexual assault.