Action: [law] general

Updates and Clarifications: There has been considerable confusion on various aspects of this case and the situation Shahzina Tariq and Shamial Raj are in, especially since people in Pakistan and elsewhere have been misinformed. Nighat Said Khan of the ASR Resource Centre clarifies:

Women Living Under Muslim Laws is deeply concerned about the prosecution and detention of Shamial Raj and Shahzina Tariq of Faisalabad, Pakistan. Shamial Raj had a sex change operation and for years has been living as a man. He and Shahzina Tariq married for love last year, despite the fact that Shahzina's father had wanted to marry her off to someone to whom he owed money. Shahzina's father, Tariq Hussain and other members of her family continued to harrass the pair and took legal action against Shamial accusing him of kidnapping their daughter, despite the consensual nature of their marriage. On the 28th of May, 2007 the Lahore High Court decided there was insufficient evidence to charge Shahzina and Shamial under section 377 (unnatural offences). However the couple have both been sentenced to three years imprisonment on lesser charges.

Following strong protests from women's and left-wing groups, a US marine has been sentenced to 40 years in prison for raping a local woman in the Philippines last year. About 100 protesters were outside the courthouse for the verdict.

We are glad to inform you that we have heard that Ayatollah Shahroudi has acted to stop the execution of Ashraf, the 37 year old mother of four, who was sentenced to stoning for having had extramarital sex. However, her fate is not yet clear and we urge you to continue writing to the Iranian authorities on her behalf.