Pregnant teen tortured by in-laws in Afghan ‘honour killing’ in revenge for her father eloping with her husband’s cousin
Her in-laws went back on their deal and agreed to sell the cousin to someone else for a higher price
A 14-year-old pregnant Afghan girl has been tortured and burned to death by her in-laws.
Zarha Azam's father, Mohammad, claims she was murdered in revenge for him eloping with a cousin of her husband.
The so called ‘honour killing’ in the central Ghor province is the latest in a series of incidents of violence and sexual violence against women.
Afghanistan faces serious human rights issues, including physical and sexual violence against women and so-called honour killings.
The murder also comes days after Pakistani model Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death by her brother because she posted ‘shameful’ photos on social media.
Zarha died in a Kabul hospital on Saturday.
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The murdered teen's in-laws had struck a deal with her father allowing him to marry a cousin of her husband as payment for construction work that Azam had done.
But they later reneged on the deal and promised the cousin to another man who could pay more money.
The practice of baad, trading young women to pay debts, is illegal in Afghanistan but incidents of young women being abused or stoned to death occur all over the country.
Zarah’s father said he came to Kabul to seek justice for his daughter as he had no hope for justice in the lawless Ghor region.
Around 50 people, including Azam, members of his family and women’s rights activists rallied in Kabul on Monday in a call for justice.
Women's rights activist Veeda Saghari, who attended the rally, said violence against women is largely ignored in Afghanistan.
"That is why all kinds of violence against women such as acid throwing, beating, stoning, informal community tribunal verdicts, burning, forced divorces, forced marriages, forced pregnancies, forced abortions have reached a peak," she said.
Despite being illegal in Afghanistan, more than 200 women are murdered in so-called ‘honour killings’ each year, and they are often carried out by family members.
Under Sharia law in Pakistan murder victim’s families are allowed to pardon the killers, which means many convicted of honour killings can escape punishment.