Following a quick trial of just under three hours on September 7th, seven Afghan men were sentenced to death for taking part in a gang rape late last month.  

While only five of the seven men were directly found guilty of rape, all of them were given the death sentence for armed robbery.

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On the day of the attack, the men, who ranged from ages 19 to 35, dressed in police uniforms and stopped a convoy of cars near Khabul. Reportedly, the individuals in the cars were returning from a wedding in Paghman.  

The men separated four of the women from the group, held them at gun point, robbed them of their jewelry and mobile phones, then raped and beat them.

One of the victims had to be hospitalized and subsequently died from her injuries.

10 men were involved in the crime but three of them remain at large.  Police said that the seven who were caught confessed to their crimes only hours after being arrested.

The case sparked national outrage in Afghanistan, where many rapes occur but go unreported to the police because women fear they will be arrested for adultery or may even be forced to marry their abusers. 

Demonstrations were held on the streets outside the courthouse where women in their veils held up signs condemning the rapists and calling for them to be hanged.

Even President Hamid Karzai joined the voices, pressing for the death penalty for the men found guilty of the gang rape.

Only five of the seven men were found guilty of rape.  Technically, they were given the death sentence for the crime of armed robbery, an offense which is not normally punishable by execution. 

However, the brutality of the gang rape is unprecedented in Afghanistan, prompting citizens from across the nation to demand swift and harsh justice.

Crowds watching the trial exploded into applause when the judge announced that the men would be publicly executed. However, some human rights watch groups questioned the speed of the trial, saying that even though rape is a heinous crime, due process must still be followed for the accused.

Despite the negative public opinion against them, the men still have the option of appealing their sentences.

Tagsgang rape, Afghanistan, Death Sentence, execution, attack, khabul, trial