OUTRAGE as 16-yr old Moroccan girl commits suicide after Islamic judge ordered her to marry her rapist.
By Chido Nwangwu.
Special to USAfricaonline.com, the USAfrica-powered e-groups of Nigeria360, IgboEvents, UNNalumni, and CLASSmagazine Houston. Follow us at Facebook.com/USAfricaChido and Twitter.com/Chido247
USAfrica: The breaking news of a 16-year-old Moroccan girl (Amina Filali) who committed suicide after a judge ordered her to marry her rapist has set off swift and sweeping reactions inside the north African Islamic country and outside the kingdom.
Reports from Morocco by the daily al-Massae say that the young Amina swallowed rat poison on Saturday March 10, 2012 in a deadly protest of her refusal to become the “wife” of the same criminal “man” who who raped her in 2011.
USAfricaonline.com has also seen several tweets, Facebook page and web protests and petitions condemning the judge in the country’s northern city of Tangier who gave the oppressive order that Amina Filali should become the wife of the rapist. He is 10 years older than Amina.
The same year of the rape, Amina’s parents who were horrified and embarrassed by the violent crime filed charges against their daughter’s rapist. After almost a year long delay, the judge chose to order both of them married rather than directly punish and impose sanctions against the rapist.
Some Moroccan analysts have referenced that article 475 of the penal code of the kingdom of Morocco which permits the “kidnapper” of a minor/under-aged to marry his victim to escape prosecution. This clause has also been used by some Moroccans to make the controversial argument for a rapist to marry his victim, they claim, in order “to preserve the honor and dignity of the woman’s family.” al-Massae noted that local rural traditions have added to the use of the controversial article 475 of the penal code.
On the other hand, Hafida Elbaz, director of the Women’s Solidarity Association of Morocco was quoted in al-Massae as noting that the Islamic code allows offenders and criminals an opportunity to avoid punishment.
The President of Democratic League for Women’s Rights Fouzia Assouli adds that the problem “is unfortunately a recurring phenomenon…. We have been asking for years for the cancellation of Article 475 of the penal code which allows the rapist to escape justice.”
Meanwhile, Amina’s father Lahcen Filali has revealed in an interview on goud.ma that ‘The prosecutor advised my daughter to marry, he said ‘go and make the marriage contract.”
Most of their concerns and revulsion to this issue was captured by a tweet by an activist Abadila Maaelaynine who wrote: “Amina, 16, was triply violated, by her rapist, by tradition and by Article 475 of the Moroccan law.”
A Facebook page raising more pressure on this issue is drawing a lot of interest and reviews; and it is called “We are all Amina Filali.”
USAfrica news index show that Amina’s case has escalated the popular demand by millions of Moroccans for major changes to the country’s strict Islamic penal codes and inadequate remedy for many aspects of human rights especially regarding women.
• Chido Nwangwu is the Founder & Publisher of Houston-based USAfrica multimedia networks, first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com; and recipient of several journalism and public policy awards was recently profiled by the CNN International for his pioneering works on multimedia/news/public policy projects for Africans and Americans. He served as adviser on Africa business to Houston’s former Mayor Lee Brown.
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test
In my culture and religion, it is morally wrong and sinful to commit suicide. However, this case warrants an exception. Therefore, I pray that God will grant Amina this exception and allow her to rest in peace in paradise while the blame or punishment/retribution is cast on those who caused her death.
Deuteronomy 22:28,29:
"If a man happens to meet a virgin who is not pledged to be married and rapes her and they are discovered, he shall pay her father fifty shekels of silver. He must marry the young woman, for he has violated her. He can never divorce her as long as he lives."
As I said,you have every right to feel and express this.
I meant to say”far left liberals.” in my prior message.
I meant to say”far left liberals.” in my prior message.
@Mercy: This is the way of far right liberals: always calling a spade something else. I can see your eagerness to remind me of what Christians did in the world. But we are talking about an age when ignorance was at its zenith.Read more….
@Pascal…your passion is noted but be fair. In the history man the christian religion has done far worse in the name of God. Lets not be too eager to cast stones. There are fanatics and extremists yes;but to condemn the religion is way too much.
@Pascal…your passion is noted but be fair. In the history man the christian religion has done far worse in the name of God. Lets not be too eager to cast stones. There are fanatics and extremists yes;but to condemn the religion is way too much.
@Fubara & Mercy: “If Islam is the way to God, I do not want to see Him.” I am sick and tired of political correctness. Souls are lost everyday, and people wanna live together with these nut-heads because of fear.Read more….
@Fubara & Mercy: “If Islam is the way to God, I do not want to see Him.” I am sick and tired of political correctness. Souls are lost everyday, and people wanna live together with these nut-heads because of fear.Read more….
Islam and their knowledge. Poor girl forced to marry her rapist. This is conspiracy at its peak. Planned deal between the Jurist and the rapist. May God save us all.
Every single religion can be called a cult, by those who want to denigrate the particular religion. Why? Every religion has some mystical aspects, including specific rites of membership.
@Pascal. ..dat’s one of the few rights you can choose to uphold, freedom of speech! YOUR OPINION BTW…regarding Islam.
@Pascal. ..dat’s one of the few rights you can choose to uphold, freedom of speech! YOUR OPINION BTW…regarding Islam.
As I said,you have every right to feel and express this.
@Mercy: This is the way of far right liberals: always calling a spade something else. I can see your eagerness to remind me of what Christians did in the world. But we are talking about an age when ignorance was at its zenith.Read more….
@ Sharon. Do not glorify islam by calling it a religion; it is a cult.
Islam and their knowledge. Poor girl forced to marry her rapist. This is conspiracy at its peak. Planned deal between the Jurist and the rapist. May God save us all.
Every single religion can be called a cult, by those who want to denigrate the particular religion. Why? Every religion has some mystical aspects, including specific rites of membership.
totally……wicked and evil people twist the words of God to suit themselves.
Is islam really a religion of peace?
Mourning Amina aside, the question is…What message does this send to rape victims and would-be rapists in Morocco….total chaos! Animal kingdom!
I fear I may not be civil or ethical… I need time to comport…
It still baffles me why people, under the guise of religion, abandon reality and common sense to perpetuate,mindlessly, acts such as this Islamic Moroccoan judge….
Do you blame Amina?
I don’t even know what to say, where to begin… If I find THAT Judge and the rapist…
I don’t even know what to say, where to begin… If I find THAT Judge and the rapist…
Rest in peace Amina. May you know love and peace in the after life. We are all mourning for you .
Is islam really a religion of peace?
Mourning Amina aside, the question is…What message does this send to rape victims and would-be rapists in Morocco….total chaos! Animal kingdom!
I fear I may not be civil or ethical… I need time to comport…
It still baffles me why people, under the guise of religion, abandon reality and common sense to perpetuate,mindlessly, acts such as this Islamic Moroccoan judge….
Do you blame Amina?