OTTAWA: Following the announcement that the Government of Afghanistan planned to reinstate the Taliban-era practice of punishing adultery with public stoning, the Green Party of Canada today voiced its unequivocal condemnation of the policy, and urged the international community to push for human rights reform in Afghanistan.
At a multi-party press conference yesterday morning in support of the YWCA Rose Campaign to End Violence Against Women, Green Party of Canada Leader Elizabeth May called for greater government action to address this critical human rights issue, both in Canada and globally.
May later directly criticized the proposed changes to Afghanistan’s penal code, which according to a draft released today would be amended to state that “Men and women who commit adultery shall be punished based on the circumstances to one of the following punishments: lashing, stoning [to death].”
"This abhorrent policy is indicative of the profound challenges facing Afghanistan. Tragically, despite recent advances in education, Afghan women remain marginalized within their society,” said May. “Our government must publically denounce these grave human rights abuses.”
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Contact:
Nicholas Gall
Communications Officer
Green Party of Canada
Cell: 613 614 4916
nicholas.gall@greenparty.ca