RIP Amina

Rabat, Morocco (CNN) -- Demonstrators rallied Saturday in Morocco's capital, demanding the North African nation reform its rape laws following a teenage girl's suicide after her father said a judge mandated that she marry her alleged rapist -- allowing him to stay out of jail.

Amina Filali, 16, died suddenly last week in Larache, a city in northwestern Morocco along the Atlantic coast. Her father, Lahcen Filali, told CNN that she was with her new husband when she "fell into street (and) started vomiting."

By the time an ambulance arrived, the father said, "It was already too late."

The girl died hours later at a Larache hospital.

The state-run MAP news agency reported that Amina Filali had committed suicide, the stark nature of her life and death spurring hundreds to turn out for Saturday's protest in front of the nation's parliament.

Lahcen Filali told Moroccan newspaper Hona Press that his daughter had ingested rat poison, doing so after her husband had severely beaten her.

Police told CNN only that they were investigating the teenager's death, but didn't provide further details.

Even so, the circumstances of her case have triggered outrage in Morocco, especially from women's rights advocates.

"This girl was (in essence) raped twice, the last when she was married," government spokesman Mustapha El Khalfi said Thursday, referring to the initial reported rape and the fact she was forced to marry her alleged attacker.

The girl's father said he "did not want to accept this marriage," which some have said was pushed in order to protect the family's honor. But "my wife, my family and the court of the city of Larache" wanted the union to proceed, as it did.

"The judge decided he must marry her, and I had no opportunity to refuse the judge's decision," the father said. "I wanted to send (the eventual husband) to prison, and have my daughter stay with me until she became (an adult)."

Under Moroccan law, rape is punishable by five to 10 years of prison, with a sentence as long as 20 years if the victim is a minor, pregnant or disabled. But if the victim and the rapist marry, the attacker is no longer liable.

In this case, Amina Filali's husband was never formally charged with rape due to the fact the family signed an agreement in court, according to the girl's father.

"Through this law, the rape becomes legitimate," said Fouzia Assouli, president of the Moroccan advocacy group the Federation of the Democratic League for Women's Rights, of the fact that an alleged rapist can avoid jail if he marries his victim.

That fact has stirred anger and action in Morocco, including Saturday's demonstration in Rabat, which is about 170 kilometers (105 miles) south of Larache.

Protesters held up pictures of Amina Filali, held up banners and chanted in Arabic, "Let's ... end the marriage of minors."

Moroccan law defends "family morals, but does not take into account the right of women as a person," Assouli told CNN.

"The terrible story of Amina Filali gives us more strength to move forward," she added.

Morocco's government devoted much of its weekly meeting Thursday to reviewing the case.

"We need to study in-depth the situation with the possibility of increasing the penalties as part of a reform," said El Khalfi, the communications minister. "We cannot ignore this tragedy."

CNN's Ashley Gallagher and Hamdi Alkhshali contributed to this report.


http://edition.cnn.com/2012/03/17/world/africa/morocco-child-rape/index.html

RIP Amina

Posted: 19 March 2012

Days ago, 16 year-old Amina Filali, raped, beaten and forced to wed her rapist, killed herself -- the only way she saw to escape the trap set for her by her rapist and the law. If we act now, we can stop this unspeakable tragedy from happening to anyone else.

Article 475 in Morocco’s penal code allows a rapist to avoid prosecution and a long prison sentence by marrying his victim if she is a minor. Since 2006, the government has promised to strike this down and pass legislation prohibiting violence against women, but it hasn't happened.

Hundreds of Moroccan protestors are in the streets demanding real reform, turning up the heat on the Prime Minister and heads of other ministries, who write and sponsor bills and the international media has picked up the story. If we ramp up pressure, we can see real progress now. Sign the petition for a comprehensive law to stop violence against women, including repeal of Article 475. When we reach 250,000 signatures, we'll deliver it directly to the decision makers.

http://www.avaaz.org/en/forced_to_marry_her_rapist_b/?vl 

JOIN THE PETITION

http://www.avaaz.org/en/forced_to_marry_her_rapist_b/?vl

Outraged Moroccans are flooding social networking sites and the streets in protest. Hundreds of women staged a sit-ins in front of the Larache court and Parliament this week. Let’s join in the demand that laws should protect, not trample on women's rights:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/forced_to_marry_her_rapist_b/?vl

Time and again, Avaaz members use our collective power to join with people around the globe to fight for a better world -- today, let’s stand together for Amina Filali and the legacy of hope that her story must leave.

With that hope,

Dalia, Carol, Emma, Rewan, Ricken, Luis, Antonia and the rest of the Avaaz team