Four Afghan men have been sentenced to death over the mob killing of a woman in Kabul in March. The 28-year-old woman called Farkhunda was beaten to death after being accused of burning a copy of the Koran, although witnesses say she did not. BBC was there:
It took just four days for the verdicts to be reached. Eight men were sentenced to 16 years in prison and 18 others found not guilty. The incident led to widespread protests against the treatment of women. A decision in the case of 19 policemen accused of failing in their duty to prevent the attack is expected on Sunday.
Farkhunda’s brother told the BBC that the family were not satisfied with the verdict and that all of the main defendants should be put to death. Farkhunda had argued with an amulet seller about his practice of peddling charms to women at the well-known Shah-Du-Shamshaira shrine, which is within walking distance of the presidential palace and Kabul’s main bazaar.
The amulet seller is one of those sentenced to death on Wednesday. In the course of the argument Farkhunda was accused of burning the Koran and a crowd overheard and attacked her. In confession statements read in court, some of the accused admitted they had been drawn in by the claims. An official investigator has said there is no evidence she burned the Koran.
