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| Karzai orders urgent law review | Karzai orders urgent law review |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an urgent review of a controversial new law that critics say might tolerate rape within marriage. | Afghan President Hamid Karzai has ordered an urgent review of a controversial new law that critics say might tolerate rape within marriage. |
| At the same time, Mr Karzai rejected what he called the misinterpretation of the law by Western journalists. | At the same time, Mr Karzai rejected what he called the misinterpretation of the law by Western journalists. |
| His decision follows expressions of disquiet from Nato's secretary general. | His decision follows expressions of disquiet from Nato's secretary general. |
| Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said he could not justify foreign troops dying in defence of universal values in Afghanistan, if those values were violated by its laws. | Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said he could not justify foreign troops dying in defence of universal values in Afghanistan, if those values were violated by its laws. |
| Mr Karzai said he had ordered the justice ministry to review the law, which is intended to regulate family life inside Afghanistan's minority Shia community. | |
| If anything in the legislation contravened the country's constitution or Sharia law, he said, "measures will be taken". | |
| "We understand the concerns of our allies in the international community," he said during a televised press conference in Kabul. | |
| "Those concerns may be out of inappropriate or not-so-good translation of the law or a misinterpretation of it." | |
| Aides to President Karzai had earlier insisted the law provided more protection for women. | Aides to President Karzai had earlier insisted the law provided more protection for women. |
| Among its provisions are that | |
| • wives are obliged to have sexual relations with their husbands at least once every four days | |
| • women cannot leave home without their husband's permission | |
| Critics say the law limits the rights of women from the Shia minority and authorises rape within marriage. | Critics say the law limits the rights of women from the Shia minority and authorises rape within marriage. |
| Permission | Permission |
| On Friday, Mr de Hoop Scheffer told the BBC's Mark Mardell: "We are there to defend universal values and when I see, at the moment, a law threatening to come into effect which fundamentally violates women's rights and human rights, that worries me." | On Friday, Mr de Hoop Scheffer told the BBC's Mark Mardell: "We are there to defend universal values and when I see, at the moment, a law threatening to come into effect which fundamentally violates women's rights and human rights, that worries me." |
| Nato chief's Afghan law fears | Nato chief's Afghan law fears |
| He added: "I have a problem to explain and President Karzai knows this, because I discussed it with him. I have a problem to explain to a critical public audience in Europe, be it the UK or elsewhere, why I'm sending the guys to the Hindu Kush." | He added: "I have a problem to explain and President Karzai knows this, because I discussed it with him. I have a problem to explain to a critical public audience in Europe, be it the UK or elsewhere, why I'm sending the guys to the Hindu Kush." |
| On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown held a 10-minute telephone conversation with Mr Karzai over the issue. | |
| British officials said Mr Brown "registered his concern" about the law and was "reassured" by Mr Karzai that the matter was being referred back to the justice ministry. | |
| France's Human Rights Minister Rama Yade also expressed her "sharp concern" at the law, saying it "recalls the darkest hours of Afghanistan's history". | France's Human Rights Minister Rama Yade also expressed her "sharp concern" at the law, saying it "recalls the darkest hours of Afghanistan's history". |
| The UN earlier said it was seriously concerned about the potential impact of the law. | The UN earlier said it was seriously concerned about the potential impact of the law. |
| Human rights activists say it reverses many of the freedoms won by Afghan women in the seven years since the Taleban were driven from power. | Human rights activists say it reverses many of the freedoms won by Afghan women in the seven years since the Taleban were driven from power. |
| They say it removes the right of women to refuse their husbands sex, unless they are ill. | They say it removes the right of women to refuse their husbands sex, unless they are ill. |
| Women will also need to get permission from their husbands if they want to leave their homes, unless there is an emergency. | Women will also need to get permission from their husbands if they want to leave their homes, unless there is an emergency. |
| The law covers members of Afghanistan's Shia minority, who make up 10% of the population. | The law covers members of Afghanistan's Shia minority, who make up 10% of the population. |
| The law has been described as "oppressive" for women | The law has been described as "oppressive" for women |
| It was rushed through parliament in February and was backed by influential Shia clerics and Shia political parties. | It was rushed through parliament in February and was backed by influential Shia clerics and Shia political parties. |
| The law is reported to have been approved by President Karzai - who critics say is eager to win Shia votes in forthcoming elections - but the final version has not yet been made public because there are numerous amendments to it. | The law is reported to have been approved by President Karzai - who critics say is eager to win Shia votes in forthcoming elections - but the final version has not yet been made public because there are numerous amendments to it. |
| The president has not yet commented, but defenders of the law say it is an improvement on the customary laws which normally decide family matters. | The president has not yet commented, but defenders of the law say it is an improvement on the customary laws which normally decide family matters. |
| A separate family law for the Sunni majority is now also being drawn up. | A separate family law for the Sunni majority is now also being drawn up. |