President Hamid Karzai of Afghanistan has backed down on the so-called "marital rape" law, which had such draconian elements as a ban on married women leaving their homes without their husbands’ permission and the requirement that a wife be available for sex at least every four days unless ill or in danger of harm from sexual intercourse.
The Shia Family Law was signed into law by the Karzai last month. The law applies to the 15% of Afghans who are Shia Muslims, but another bill was already in progress which would have affected Sunnis.
At a press conference in Kabul on Monday, Karzai said:
“The law is under review and amendments will take place. I assure you that the laws of Afghanistan will be in complete harmony with the constitution of Afghanistan, and the human rights that we have adhered to in international treaties.”
When the contents of the 239-page document were made public it was widely condemned by Western governments. Karzai said that his aides had not briefed him properly about the details, meaning, I suppose, that the Afghani President doesn't read what he signs.
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