Release Of Convicts In Bilkis Bano Case In Gujarat Sparks Outrage In India

NEW DELHI — Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was attacked by a Hindu mob in 2002 as anti-Muslim violence gripped the western Indian state of Gujarat. Bano, then 21, was gang-raped by swordsmen from her neighborhood. Fourteen of her family members were killed, including her 3-year-old daughter, who was grabbed by the arms and slammed against a rock. This week, 11 men serving life sentences for the crimes were released from prison on parole by the Gujarat state government, sparking widespread outrage and an emotional plea for justice from Bano. In a statement issued Wednesday through her lawyer, Bano said the news had left her “numb” and “disappointed.” “I trusted the system and I was slowly learning to live with my trauma,” she said, adding that the release had shaken her faith in the justice system. “No one asked about my safety and well-being before I made such a big and unfair decision.” The development comes as a shock to the country which has struggled to deal with widespread sexual violence against women. In recent years, authorities have tightened laws and introduced tougher sentences, but conviction rates for rape remain low. Gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old girl sparks fresh outrage over India’s rape culture Women’s rights groups said the release of the perpetrators on August 15, the country’s 75th anniversary of independence, was a blow to every rape victim. “We are ashamed that on a day when we should be celebrating our freedoms and being proud of our independence, the women of India instead saw gang-rapists and mass murderers go free as an act of state grandstanding,” the groups said in a statement. . It was also a setback for the survivors of the Gujarat riots, who fought long and hard for justice. The riots broke out in 2002 after a train fire blamed on Muslims killed a group of Hindu pilgrims. More than 1,000 people were killed in days of vigilante violence that followed, most of them Muslims. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time, is now the Prime Minister of India. Under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, hate speech and violence against Muslims have risen sharply. The men freed this week received a hero’s welcome. In a video outside the prison, they are given sweets. Local media reported that the men were later garlanded by members of Hindu nationalist groups linked to the BJP. Sujal Mayatra, the official who headed the committee in Gujarat that recommended the men’s release, said the decision was based on several factors. “They had completed 14 years of service. We asked about their behavior and their release time,” he said. “The nature of the crime and the safety of the victim were also taken into account.” In India, life imprisonment is meant to last until death, but convicts have the right to seek parole after 14 years. While the latest parole policy says those convicted of rape and murder cannot be released early, the policy at the time of the Bano case did not make that distinction. In an interview with the BBC in 2017, Bano said she was fleeing violence in a group of 17 people that included her mother and young siblings in March 2002 when they were met by a mob. As India marks its first 75 years, Gandhi is belittled, even mocked In addition to raping Bano and killing her daughter, the men gang-raped her cousin before murdering her and her 2-day-old baby. Bano was one of only three people in the group to survive the massacre. Human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, who has been involved in efforts to reform laws on violence against women, described the government’s decision as “blatantly arbitrary and discriminatory”. “The government’s mask of concern about sexual violence against women has slipped. This is a majority state that signals impunity for hate crimes,” he said. Bano’s case took years to work its way through the Indian justice system, finally resulting in convictions in 2008. All the while, she was the target of death threats, forced to move frequently and go into hiding. In 2019, India’s Supreme Court ordered the state government to pay approximately $62,000 in compensation to Bano, noting that she had been forced to live as a “nomad” and “orphan”. Now, her family feels like it’s back to square one. “The battle we fought for so many years ended in an instant,” Yakub Rasool, Bano’s husband, told the Indian Express. Bano, in her statement, said her grief is not only hers “but for every woman who fights for justice in the courts.” “Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace,” he said.

title: “Release Of Convicts In Bilkis Bano Case In Gujarat Sparks Outrage In India Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-13” author: “Samantha Scroggins”

NEW DELHI — Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was attacked by a Hindu mob in 2002 as anti-Muslim violence gripped the western Indian state of Gujarat. Bano, then 21, was gang-raped by swordsmen from her neighborhood. Fourteen of her family members were killed, including her 3-year-old daughter, who was grabbed by the arms and slammed against a rock. This week, 11 men serving life sentences for the crimes were released from prison on parole by the Gujarat state government, sparking widespread outrage and an emotional plea for justice from Bano. In a statement issued Wednesday through her lawyer, Bano said the news had left her “numb” and “disappointed.” “I trusted the system and I was slowly learning to live with my trauma,” she said, adding that the release had shaken her faith in the justice system. “No one asked about my safety and well-being before I made such a big and unfair decision.” The development comes as a shock to the country which has struggled to deal with widespread sexual violence against women. In recent years, authorities have tightened laws and introduced tougher sentences, but conviction rates for rape remain low. Gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old girl sparks fresh outrage over India’s rape culture Women’s rights groups said the release of the perpetrators on August 15, the country’s 75th anniversary of independence, was a blow to every rape victim. “We are ashamed that on a day when we should be celebrating our freedoms and being proud of our independence, the women of India instead saw gang-rapists and mass murderers go free as an act of state grandstanding,” the groups said in a statement. . It was also a setback for the survivors of the Gujarat riots, who fought long and hard for justice. The riots broke out in 2002 after a train fire blamed on Muslims killed a group of Hindu pilgrims. More than 1,000 people were killed in days of vigilante violence that followed, most of them Muslims. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time, is now the Prime Minister of India. Under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, hate speech and violence against Muslims have risen sharply. The men freed this week received a hero’s welcome. In a video outside the prison, they are given sweets. Local media reported that the men were later garlanded by members of Hindu nationalist groups linked to the BJP. Sujal Mayatra, the official who headed the committee in Gujarat that recommended the men’s release, said the decision was based on several factors. “They had completed 14 years of service. We asked about their behavior and their release time,” he said. “The nature of the crime and the safety of the victim were also taken into account.” In India, life imprisonment is meant to last until death, but convicts have the right to seek parole after 14 years. While the latest parole policy says those convicted of rape and murder cannot be released early, the policy at the time of the Bano case did not make that distinction. In an interview with the BBC in 2017, Bano said she was fleeing violence in a group of 17 people that included her mother and young siblings in March 2002 when they were met by a mob. As India marks its first 75 years, Gandhi is belittled, even mocked In addition to raping Bano and killing her daughter, the men gang-raped her cousin before murdering her and her 2-day-old baby. Bano was one of only three people in the group to survive the massacre. Human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, who has been involved in efforts to reform laws on violence against women, described the government’s decision as “blatantly arbitrary and discriminatory”. “The government’s mask of concern about sexual violence against women has slipped. This is a majority state that signals impunity for hate crimes,” he said. Bano’s case took years to work its way through the Indian justice system, finally resulting in convictions in 2008. All the while, she was the target of death threats, forced to move frequently and go into hiding. In 2019, India’s Supreme Court ordered the state government to pay approximately $62,000 in compensation to Bano, noting that she had been forced to live as a “nomad” and “orphan”. Now, her family feels like it’s back to square one. “The battle we fought for so many years ended in an instant,” Yakub Rasool, Bano’s husband, told the Indian Express. Bano, in her statement, said her grief is not only hers “but for every woman who fights for justice in the courts.” “Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace,” he said.

title: “Release Of Convicts In Bilkis Bano Case In Gujarat Sparks Outrage In India Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-12-12” author: “Ralph Chappell”

NEW DELHI — Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was attacked by a Hindu mob in 2002 as anti-Muslim violence gripped the western Indian state of Gujarat. Bano, then 21, was gang-raped by swordsmen from her neighborhood. Fourteen of her family members were killed, including her 3-year-old daughter, who was grabbed by the arms and slammed against a rock. This week, 11 men serving life sentences for the crimes were released from prison on parole by the Gujarat state government, sparking widespread outrage and an emotional plea for justice from Bano. In a statement issued Wednesday through her lawyer, Bano said the news had left her “numb” and “disappointed.” “I trusted the system and I was slowly learning to live with my trauma,” she said, adding that the release had shaken her faith in the justice system. “No one asked about my safety and well-being before I made such a big and unfair decision.” The development comes as a shock to the country which has struggled to deal with widespread sexual violence against women. In recent years, authorities have tightened laws and introduced tougher sentences, but conviction rates for rape remain low. Gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old girl sparks fresh outrage over India’s rape culture Women’s rights groups said the release of the perpetrators on August 15, the country’s 75th anniversary of independence, was a blow to every rape victim. “We are ashamed that on a day when we should be celebrating our freedoms and being proud of our independence, the women of India instead saw gang-rapists and mass murderers go free as an act of state grandstanding,” the groups said in a statement. . It was also a setback for the survivors of the Gujarat riots, who fought long and hard for justice. The riots broke out in 2002 after a train fire blamed on Muslims killed a group of Hindu pilgrims. More than 1,000 people were killed in days of vigilante violence that followed, most of them Muslims. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time, is now the Prime Minister of India. Under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, hate speech and violence against Muslims have risen sharply. The men freed this week received a hero’s welcome. In a video outside the prison, they are given sweets. Local media reported that the men were later garlanded by members of Hindu nationalist groups linked to the BJP. Sujal Mayatra, the official who headed the committee in Gujarat that recommended the men’s release, said the decision was based on several factors. “They had completed 14 years of service. We asked about their behavior and their release time,” he said. “The nature of the crime and the safety of the victim were also taken into account.” In India, life imprisonment is meant to last until death, but convicts have the right to seek parole after 14 years. While the latest parole policy says those convicted of rape and murder cannot be released early, the policy at the time of the Bano case did not make that distinction. In an interview with the BBC in 2017, Bano said she was fleeing violence in a group of 17 people that included her mother and young siblings in March 2002 when they were met by a mob. As India marks its first 75 years, Gandhi is belittled, even mocked In addition to raping Bano and killing her daughter, the men gang-raped her cousin before murdering her and her 2-day-old baby. Bano was one of only three people in the group to survive the massacre. Human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, who has been involved in efforts to reform laws on violence against women, described the government’s decision as “blatantly arbitrary and discriminatory”. “The government’s mask of concern about sexual violence against women has slipped. This is a majority state that signals impunity for hate crimes,” he said. Bano’s case took years to work its way through the Indian justice system, finally resulting in convictions in 2008. All the while, she was the target of death threats, forced to move frequently and go into hiding. In 2019, India’s Supreme Court ordered the state government to pay approximately $62,000 in compensation to Bano, noting that she had been forced to live as a “nomad” and “orphan”. Now, her family feels like it’s back to square one. “The battle we fought for so many years ended in an instant,” Yakub Rasool, Bano’s husband, told the Indian Express. Bano, in her statement, said her grief is not only hers “but for every woman who fights for justice in the courts.” “Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace,” he said.

title: “Release Of Convicts In Bilkis Bano Case In Gujarat Sparks Outrage In India Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-07” author: “David Hernandez”

NEW DELHI — Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was attacked by a Hindu mob in 2002 as anti-Muslim violence gripped the western Indian state of Gujarat. Bano, then 21, was gang-raped by swordsmen from her neighborhood. Fourteen of her family members were killed, including her 3-year-old daughter, who was grabbed by the arms and slammed against a rock. This week, 11 men serving life sentences for the crimes were released from prison on parole by the Gujarat state government, sparking widespread outrage and an emotional plea for justice from Bano. In a statement issued Wednesday through her lawyer, Bano said the news had left her “numb” and “disappointed.” “I trusted the system and I was slowly learning to live with my trauma,” she said, adding that the release had shaken her faith in the justice system. “No one asked about my safety and well-being before I made such a big and unfair decision.” The development comes as a shock to the country which has struggled to deal with widespread sexual violence against women. In recent years, authorities have tightened laws and introduced tougher sentences, but conviction rates for rape remain low. Gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old girl sparks fresh outrage over India’s rape culture Women’s rights groups said the release of the perpetrators on August 15, the country’s 75th anniversary of independence, was a blow to every rape victim. “We are ashamed that on a day when we should be celebrating our freedoms and being proud of our independence, the women of India instead saw gang-rapists and mass murderers go free as an act of state grandstanding,” the groups said in a statement. . It was also a setback for the survivors of the Gujarat riots, who fought long and hard for justice. The riots broke out in 2002 after a train fire blamed on Muslims killed a group of Hindu pilgrims. More than 1,000 people were killed in days of vigilante violence that followed, most of them Muslims. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time, is now the Prime Minister of India. Under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, hate speech and violence against Muslims have risen sharply. The men freed this week received a hero’s welcome. In a video outside the prison, they are given sweets. Local media reported that the men were later garlanded by members of Hindu nationalist groups linked to the BJP. Sujal Mayatra, the official who headed the committee in Gujarat that recommended the men’s release, said the decision was based on several factors. “They had completed 14 years of service. We asked about their behavior and their release time,” he said. “The nature of the crime and the safety of the victim were also taken into account.” In India, life imprisonment is meant to last until death, but convicts have the right to seek parole after 14 years. While the latest parole policy says those convicted of rape and murder cannot be released early, the policy at the time of the Bano case did not make that distinction. In an interview with the BBC in 2017, Bano said she was fleeing violence in a group of 17 people that included her mother and young siblings in March 2002 when they were met by a mob. As India marks its first 75 years, Gandhi is belittled, even mocked In addition to raping Bano and killing her daughter, the men gang-raped her cousin before murdering her and her 2-day-old baby. Bano was one of only three people in the group to survive the massacre. Human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, who has been involved in efforts to reform laws on violence against women, described the government’s decision as “blatantly arbitrary and discriminatory”. “The government’s mask of concern about sexual violence against women has slipped. This is a majority state that signals impunity for hate crimes,” he said. Bano’s case took years to work its way through the Indian justice system, finally resulting in convictions in 2008. All the while, she was the target of death threats, forced to move frequently and go into hiding. In 2019, India’s Supreme Court ordered the state government to pay approximately $62,000 in compensation to Bano, noting that she had been forced to live as a “nomad” and “orphan”. Now, her family feels like it’s back to square one. “The battle we fought for so many years ended in an instant,” Yakub Rasool, Bano’s husband, told the Indian Express. Bano, in her statement, said her grief is not only hers “but for every woman who fights for justice in the courts.” “Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace,” he said.

title: “Release Of Convicts In Bilkis Bano Case In Gujarat Sparks Outrage In India Klmat” ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-24” author: “Nina Quiggle”

NEW DELHI — Bilkis Bano was five months pregnant when she was attacked by a Hindu mob in 2002 as anti-Muslim violence gripped the western Indian state of Gujarat. Bano, then 21, was gang-raped by swordsmen from her neighborhood. Fourteen of her family members were killed, including her 3-year-old daughter, who was grabbed by the arms and slammed against a rock. This week, 11 men serving life sentences for the crimes were released from prison on parole by the Gujarat state government, sparking widespread outrage and an emotional plea for justice from Bano. In a statement issued Wednesday through her lawyer, Bano said the news had left her “numb” and “disappointed.” “I trusted the system and I was slowly learning to live with my trauma,” she said, adding that the release had shaken her faith in the justice system. “No one asked about my safety and well-being before I made such a big and unfair decision.” The development comes as a shock to the country which has struggled to deal with widespread sexual violence against women. In recent years, authorities have tightened laws and introduced tougher sentences, but conviction rates for rape remain low. Gang-rape and murder of 8-year-old girl sparks fresh outrage over India’s rape culture Women’s rights groups said the release of the perpetrators on August 15, the country’s 75th anniversary of independence, was a blow to every rape victim. “We are ashamed that on a day when we should be celebrating our freedoms and being proud of our independence, the women of India instead saw gang-rapists and mass murderers go free as an act of state grandstanding,” the groups said in a statement. . It was also a setback for the survivors of the Gujarat riots, who fought long and hard for justice. The riots broke out in 2002 after a train fire blamed on Muslims killed a group of Hindu pilgrims. More than 1,000 people were killed in days of vigilante violence that followed, most of them Muslims. Narendra Modi, the Chief Minister of Gujarat at the time, is now the Prime Minister of India. Under the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, or BJP, hate speech and violence against Muslims have risen sharply. The men freed this week received a hero’s welcome. In a video outside the prison, they are given sweets. Local media reported that the men were later garlanded by members of Hindu nationalist groups linked to the BJP. Sujal Mayatra, the official who headed the committee in Gujarat that recommended the men’s release, said the decision was based on several factors. “They had completed 14 years of service. We asked about their behavior and their release time,” he said. “The nature of the crime and the safety of the victim were also taken into account.” In India, life imprisonment is meant to last until death, but convicts have the right to seek parole after 14 years. While the latest parole policy says those convicted of rape and murder cannot be released early, the policy at the time of the Bano case did not make that distinction. In an interview with the BBC in 2017, Bano said she was fleeing violence in a group of 17 people that included her mother and young siblings in March 2002 when they were met by a mob. As India marks its first 75 years, Gandhi is belittled, even mocked In addition to raping Bano and killing her daughter, the men gang-raped her cousin before murdering her and her 2-day-old baby. Bano was one of only three people in the group to survive the massacre. Human rights lawyer Vrinda Grover, who has been involved in efforts to reform laws on violence against women, described the government’s decision as “blatantly arbitrary and discriminatory”. “The government’s mask of concern about sexual violence against women has slipped. This is a majority state that signals impunity for hate crimes,” he said. Bano’s case took years to work its way through the Indian justice system, finally resulting in convictions in 2008. All the while, she was the target of death threats, forced to move frequently and go into hiding. In 2019, India’s Supreme Court ordered the state government to pay approximately $62,000 in compensation to Bano, noting that she had been forced to live as a “nomad” and “orphan”. Now, her family feels like it’s back to square one. “The battle we fought for so many years ended in an instant,” Yakub Rasool, Bano’s husband, told the Indian Express. Bano, in her statement, said her grief is not only hers “but for every woman who fights for justice in the courts.” “Give me back my right to live without fear and in peace,” he said.