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Jordan repeals law enabling rapists to dodge penalty by marrying victims
A law that protected rapists against punishment if they married their victims has been scrapped in Jordan, reports BBC.
Published : 24 April 2017, 03:41 PM
Updated : 24 April 2017, 03:41 PM
After years of campaigning by women's activists, as well as Muslim and Christian scholars, the Jordanian cabinet revoked the law, Article 308, on Sunday.
Article 308 enabled rapists to avoid a jail term in return for marrying their victim for at least three years.
Its supporters said the law protected a victim's honour and reputation.
Amid rigorous protests, the law was amended last year enabling rapist to use the loophole to marry his victim only if she was aged between 15 and 18 and the attack was believed to have been consensual.
As the protests continued, a royal committee suggested in February that the law should be scrapped altogether.
Activist Lailla Naffa welcomed the move saying, “it was a dream that has come true," according to the Jordan Times.
Jordan has records of victims committing suicides after marrying their rapists.
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