The sentence, passed by a Kabul judge yesterday, has been welcomed by family as well as women's support groups as a rare victory in their fight for justice for female victims of sex crimes. Rape is often treated as adultery in Afghanistan, and victims can face prison themselves.
Hassina Sarwari, who runs a shelter for women in northern Kunduz province, where the rape took place, said today that if the trial had not been transferred to Kabul the result would probably have been very different.
"If the case would have not been transferred to Kabul, we were so worried that the mullah would have not been punished in Kunduz for his crime," said Sarwari. When she saw the girl for the first time in the hospital, she was in a bad condition and required transfer to Kabul for additional treatment.
Kunduz police spokesman Sayed Sarwar Hussaini said his colleagues were shocked at first to hear the story but acted immediately to apprehend the mullah. "We sent a police unit to make the arrest, and we caught mullah Mohammad Amin while he was trying to flee," he said.
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"The mullah threatened her, saying that if she told anyone what had happened she and her family would be killed," but the child suffered injuries that could not be hidden.
Mohammad Rasoul, her uncle who attended the trial, said the family was happy with the sentence.
"We welcome the decision by the judge as that is the maximum punishment he could be given according to our country's law," Rasoul said.