Some Cultures Are More Equal Than Others

Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s pardon of a rape victim —she had been imprisoned for adultery —came with a serious catch: pressure to marry her attacker. The woman, Gulnaz, was imprisoned on charges of adultery after she was raped by a family member. Her plight came to light when it was depicted in a recent documentary commissioned by the European Union, and then again when the EU blocked the film’s release for fear of hurting relations with Afghanistan. Because of the attention brought be the controversy, President Karzai’s government offered a rare pardon. But announcement made it clear that there was an expectation that Gulnaz would marry her attacker. Afghan officials deny it was a stipulation of her release saying it was Gulnaz’s own decision.

Sigh.