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India frees 11 men convicted of gang-raping pregnant Muslim woman

2022-08-17T14:23:15.811Z


The 11 men had been sentenced to life in prison in 2008, after gang-raping a woman during the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots in India.


Ahmedabad, India --

Eleven Hindu men jailed for life for the gang rape of a pregnant Muslim woman during the 2002 Hindu-Muslim riots have been released on remand, authorities said Tuesday, prompting the widower's conviction. of the victim, lawyers and politicians.

The men were sentenced in early 2008 and released from Panchmahals prison in the western state of Gujarat on Monday as India celebrated 75 years since the end of British rule.

The Gujarat violence, one of India's worst religious riots, has killed more than 1,000 people, most of them Muslims.

India's current Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, was then running Gujarat as chief minister, and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata party still rules.

The top Panchmahals bureaucrat told Reuters the district jail advisory committee had recommended release after considering the time the 11 had spent in jail and their good behaviour.

"The fact is that they had spent about 15 years in prison and were eligible for remission," said Sujal Jayantibhai Mayatra.

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Indian laws allow convicts to apply for remission after 14 years in jail, the officials said.

Media images showed a man feeding convicts candy outside the prison, after touching the feet of one of them, as a sign of respect.

The victim's widower told Reuters they were disappointed the riots had also killed many family members.

"We have lost our family and we want to live in peace, but suddenly this has happened," said Yakub Rasul.

"We had no prior information about his release, neither from the courts nor from the government. We only found out from the media."

Opposition politicians and lawyers said the release contradicted the government's stated policy of improving the situation of women in a country known for violence against them.

"The remission of the sentence of those convicted of a heinous crime such as gang rape and murder is morally and ethically inappropriate," said lawyer Anand Yagnik.

"What is the signal that is intended to be sent?"

India

Source: cnnespanol

All news articles on 2022-08-17

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