Afghan cleric arrested for lashing 15 years old girl in Ghazni

Afghan interior minister Mujtaba Patang on Tuesday said Afghan police forces have arrested a religious cleric who issued a verdict to lash a 15 years old Afghan girl in eastern Ghazni province of Afghanistan.

Mujtaba Patang was summoned by the Afghan Senate House to brief Afghan senators regarding the security situation in Afghanistan.

Afghan senator Nesar Haris said Afghan interior minister, Afghan defense minister and Afghan intelligence chief were summoned by Afghan senators to brief the house regarding the security concerns.

He said lashing a teen Afghan girl was one of the questions of the afghan senators and Afghan interior minister Mujtaba Patang said the religious cleric who issued the verdict was arrested and is under the custody of the Afghan police forces.

Mr. Haris further added Afghan security officials will soon hand over their plans to improve the security situation in Afghanistan to Afghan senators, and Afghan security forces will look to eliminate terrorism in their sanctuaries.

A number of religious clerics and tribal elders in Jaghoori district lashed an Afghan teenager girl around a month ago over illicit relations and the accused Afghan boy was fined for having illicit relations with the girl.

The lashing of the teenager Afghan girl was widely criticized after the news was broadcasted in medias and social networking websites.

Afghan parliament also condemned the act and asked the parliament commission in religious and cultural affairs to closely investigate the issue.

Independent Human Rights Commission of Afghanistan following a statement said a 15 years old Afghan girl was lashed by local tribal elders and religious clerics.

A number of Afghan university students on Monday also protested against the public trial and urged the Afghan government to arrest and try those involved behind such trials.

This comes as stoning to death and public execution by Taliban militants have increased in a number provinces of Afghanistan during the recent years however lashing of the teenager Afghan girl in Jaghoori district was widely criticized since the public trial took place in a relatively safe area which is under the control of the Afghan government.

Source: Khaama Press