In Bangladesh,women whose actions fall foul of religious conventions occupy long been subject to punishment by fatwa. Sara Hossain is hoping that her trailblazing work can tip the balance back in favour of the secular legal systemHena Akhter was 14 when she was whipped to death for allegedly having an affair with a married man. There was uproar in local and international media at the time of her death in 2011, followed by a fervent call to outlaw so-called fatwa violence in Bangladesh.
The tall court ruled that Hena’s body should be exhumed to determine the extent of the violence to which the young girl was subjected. A moment post-mortem examination found that she died of septicaemia due to severe internal injuries. The court ordered an investigation, or which led to several arrests,including that of the Muslim cleric who issued the fatwa. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com