independent

Thursday 23 May 2013

Under-age rape law change welcomed

Protests after the suicide of Amina Filali in Morocco last year (AP)

Women's rights activists have welcomed a proposal by the Moroccan justice minister to change a law that allows rapists to escape prosecution if they marry their under-age victims.

Fouzia Assouli, president of the Democratic League for Women's Rights, praised the move but warned that the entire penal code needs rewriting to stop violence against women.

Justice minister Mustapha Ramid announced a plan on Monday to remove the paragraph that says that someone accused of "kidnapping" or "corruption" of a girl under 18 would not be prosecuted if he married her.

Morocco was shocked last year by the suicide of 16-year-old Amina Filali after her family and a judge made her marry the man she said raped her.

Press Association

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