Acquittal of 13 in rape suspended

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday suspended a lower court's acquittal of 13 men at the start of a hearing on the case of Mukhtar Mai, also known as Mukhtaran Bibi, whose gang rape in 2002 on the orders of a village council stirred an international outcry.

The court ordered all 13 men rearrested and placed them under judicial custody. Another man accused in the case is already in custody.

"This means that the Supreme Court will now hear the case, and one truly hopes that it will act on merit," said Asma Jehangir, a prominent lawyer and human rights activist.

Mukhtar, 31, who sat in the front row throughout the proceedings, said she was pleased with the result. "I am happy and I hope those who humiliated me will be punished," she told reporters, according to The Associated Press. "I was expecting justice from the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court has done justice."

A slight woman with sad, dark eyes, Mukhtar was ordered gang raped in June 2002 by a village council in Punjab province as punishment after her younger brother was accused of illicit relations with a woman from a rival tribe.

Under the glare of an international spotlight, the government moved quickly, bringing the case to trial in an anti-terrorism court.

The court sentenced six men to death and acquitted eight others. All six appealed their sentences.

In March, the Punjab High Court overturned five of the men's convictions and commuted the death sentence of the sixth to life imprisonment, citing loopholes in the prosecution's case and faulty police investigations.

That decision was strongly criticized by human rights groups. The Supreme Court decided to take the hearing after different tiers of Pakistani judiciary gave conflicting rulings.

"I think it's a very sorry legal system in a total dysfunctional state," Jehangir said. "This case throws a light on the judicial system in Pakistan. Those who are vulnerable suffer more. Women don't have accessibility; they don't have support."

As her legal battles mounted, Mukhtar was hailed by rights advocates internationally for showing the courage to challenge Pakistan's feudal system and for refusing to accept the injustice handed down by provincial courts.

Mukhtar and the provincial government have filed eight petitions, four each, against the March decision of the Punjab High Court.

She sat quietly during the proceedings, showing no signs of excitement until the court suspended the acquittals of the 13 men accused in the rape.

Human rights activists welcomed the court order and said they hoped it would be the first step in providing justice for Mukhtar. "We are happy about this development. This is what the lawyers moved for," said Farzana Bari, a women's rights activist who has worked closely with Mukhtar.

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