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Forbidden Afghan Couple Are Reunited After Arrests Forbidden Afghan Couple Are Reunited After Arrests
(about 17 hours later)
KABUL, Afghanistan — Zakia and Mohammad Ali, an Afghan couple who married for love despite death threats from her family and criminal charges by the authorities, were reunited on Tuesday after they were both freed from custody.KABUL, Afghanistan — Zakia and Mohammad Ali, an Afghan couple who married for love despite death threats from her family and criminal charges by the authorities, were reunited on Tuesday after they were both freed from custody.
“The Afghan government did the right thing,” said Manizha Naderi, executive director of the aid group Women for Afghan Women, whose lawyer, Shukria Khaliqi, won dismissal of the charges against the couple. “They saw the injustice in this case and decided to act.”“The Afghan government did the right thing,” said Manizha Naderi, executive director of the aid group Women for Afghan Women, whose lawyer, Shukria Khaliqi, won dismissal of the charges against the couple. “They saw the injustice in this case and decided to act.”
Mohammad Ali, 21, and Zakia, 18, were reached separately by telephone before being reunited. (Like many Afghans, they do not use surnames.)Mohammad Ali, 21, and Zakia, 18, were reached separately by telephone before being reunited. (Like many Afghans, they do not use surnames.)
“Before I was arrested I was 100 percent happy,” Mohammad Ali said. “Now, when my wife is released, I will be 1,000 percent happy.”“Before I was arrested I was 100 percent happy,” Mohammad Ali said. “Now, when my wife is released, I will be 1,000 percent happy.”
Zakia said: “After I get released, I hope we can have a happy life again and go and live in a place that is safe for us. If my family catches us, they won’t leave us alive.”Zakia said: “After I get released, I hope we can have a happy life again and go and live in a place that is safe for us. If my family catches us, they won’t leave us alive.”
The couple eloped in March, but Zakia’s father pressed bigamy charges against them, claiming she had already been married to her nephew; she asserted that she was only engaged to her nephew, and that was against her will and without her knowledge. Several of her male family members publicly vowed to carry out an honor killing against her, angry not only that she had defied her family, but had married someone from the Hazara ethnic group. She is Tajik and Sunni Muslim; he is a Hazara and a Shiite. The couple eloped in March, but Zakia’s father pressed bigamy charges against them, claiming she had already been married to her nephew; she asserted that she was only engaged to her nephew, and that was against her will and without her knowledge. Several of her male family members publicly vowed to carry out an honor killing against her, angry not only that she had defied her family, but also that she had married someone from the Hazara ethnic group. She is Tajik and Sunni Muslim; he is a Hazara and a Shiite.
They remained in hiding, first in the mountains of central Afghanistan, and later in Kabul, until Mohammad Ali was spotted by his in-laws on June 6 and dragged to a police station. His wife then voluntarily turned herself in to the custody of a women’s shelter run by Women for Afghan Women, fearing arrest or, worse, attack by her family.They remained in hiding, first in the mountains of central Afghanistan, and later in Kabul, until Mohammad Ali was spotted by his in-laws on June 6 and dragged to a police station. His wife then voluntarily turned herself in to the custody of a women’s shelter run by Women for Afghan Women, fearing arrest or, worse, attack by her family.
Women for Afghan Women, an Afghan charity supported by private donations and some American government funding, runs seven shelters in Afghanistan, as well as child support centers and family counseling centers that try to find peaceful settlements to domestic disputes.Women for Afghan Women, an Afghan charity supported by private donations and some American government funding, runs seven shelters in Afghanistan, as well as child support centers and family counseling centers that try to find peaceful settlements to domestic disputes.
While the couple were in custody, many Afghans began agitating on social media for their release, and the case received extensive coverage in the Afghan news media. Most Afghans have their marriages arranged by their families, but love matches are increasingly common among young people.While the couple were in custody, many Afghans began agitating on social media for their release, and the case received extensive coverage in the Afghan news media. Most Afghans have their marriages arranged by their families, but love matches are increasingly common among young people.
Last week, Mohammad Ali was released from custody on an order from the office of Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Aloko. And after Mohammad Ali produced documentation of his marriage to Zakia, the charges against her were dismissed as well after a brief hearing on Tuesday. Ms. Khaliqi said the authorities had offered to draw up a warrant for the arrest of Zakia’s father for trying to force her to marry against her will, which is a crime under Afghanistan’s Elimination of Violence Against Women law.Last week, Mohammad Ali was released from custody on an order from the office of Attorney General Mohammad Ishaq Aloko. And after Mohammad Ali produced documentation of his marriage to Zakia, the charges against her were dismissed as well after a brief hearing on Tuesday. Ms. Khaliqi said the authorities had offered to draw up a warrant for the arrest of Zakia’s father for trying to force her to marry against her will, which is a crime under Afghanistan’s Elimination of Violence Against Women law.
“The attorney general went out of his way to make sure that they don’t get punished for a crime that they didn’t commit,” Ms. Naderi said. “We are grateful to him and the E.V.A.W. unit at the attorney general’s office for expediting their case.” Ms. Naderi said: “The attorney general went out of his way to make sure that they don’t get punished for a crime that they didn’t commit. We are grateful to him and the E.V.A.W. unit at the attorney general’s office for expediting their case.”
Zakia said she would decline to press charges against her father. “I know my father and mother will not even want to see me,” she said. “But I don’t want trouble for them.”Zakia said she would decline to press charges against her father. “I know my father and mother will not even want to see me,” she said. “But I don’t want trouble for them.”