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(ChattahBox) — One more reason why the US and Europe are working to appoint a Afghan ‘prime minister’ to dilute President Hamid Karzai’s power. Many officials are said to be disillusioned with the extent of the corruption and incompetence in the Karzai government, and are faced with the likelihood the Afghan president will win re-election in August. Karzai, has now taken a step to secure his re-election that has created great outrage and wonder if he is any better then Taliban leaders. He signed a law which “legalizes” rape, and critics claim Karzai helped rush the bill through parliament in a bid to appease Islamic fundamentalists ahead of the elections.

According to UN papers seen by The UK Independent, the new Shia Family Law negates the need for sexual consent between married couples, tacitly approves child marriage and restricts a woman’s right to leave the home.

The provisions are reminiscent of the hardline Taliban regime, and in a sign of Afghanistan’s faltering steps towards gender equality, politicians who opposed it have been reportedly threatened. Some Afghan politicians claim Karzai was also under pressure from Iran, which maintains a close relationship with Afghanistan’s Shias. The most controversial parts of the law deal explicitly with sexual relations. Article 132 requires women to obey their husband’s sexual demands and stipulates that a man can expect to have sex with his wife at least “once every four nights” when traveling, unless they are ill. The law also gives men preferential inheritance rights, easier access to divorce, and priority in court.

Afghan President trying to legalize rape to win re-election : ChattahBox