Afghanistan Times
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AT-KABUL: A primary court in Kabul sentenced 11 police officers to one year in jail and announced eight others free of charges for failing to protect a woman killed in Kabul in March by an angry mob.
The 28-year-old woman called Farkhunda was beaten to death and her body was burned by angry citizens after being accused of burning a copy of the Koran, a charge that was later rejected by government and fact finding team, assigned by Afghan government.
Police officers were charged for failing to do enough to save the girl’s life.
Earlier this month four men were sentenced to death and eight others to 16 years in jail for the killing, with 18 others announced acquitted by judge, Safeullah Mojadidi.
The incident led to widespread protests against the treatment of women in Afghanistan, continuing for several weeks in throughout the country.
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 earlier this month.
In the course of the argument Farkhunda was accused of burning the Koran and a crowd overheard and attacked her.
All sentenced defendants deserve the right to appeal against the verdict of the court, he the judge said.
