Egyptian parliament to cancel law permitting rapists to escape punishment
Egypt, Local, 4/21/1999

The Egyptian People Assembly (parliament) agreed to cancel "article 291" of penalties law which pardons from execution criminals in cases of kidnapping and rape if the criminal married his victim (legal marriage).

The Egyptian minister of justice Farouk Seif El-Naser said that "the remaining this article was encouraging the criminals to commit this crime instead of avoiding it."

Human rights and other social organizations had supported canceling this article.

Egypt's Mufti Sheik Naser Farid Wasel urged since few months on canceling this article as he said "marriage after rape is not correct at all in the Islamic legislation's point of view."

Also the charges d'affairs in female organizations expressed their anger regarding this law and asked for canceling it.

Law professors in Egypt see that "article 291" as illegal, has great risks and contradicts the philosophy of criminal punishment which sees the good of society in not leaving any crime unpunished.

Previous Stories:
  Egyptian Mufti criticizes Egyptian law   (2/1/1999)
  Child rapist arrested   (8/25/1997)
  Man charged with attempted rape in Guiza   (8/18/1997)

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