Maldives to challenge child flogging verdict

President’s office expresses outrage at court decision to punish minor rape victim convicted of having premarital sex.

Maldives rape appeal
President Mohamed Waheed is "shocked" by a court ruling that a teenage rape victim should receive 100 lashes [EPA]

The Maldivian government will appeal against a court decision to publicly flog a 15-year-old rape victim
convicted of having premarital sex.

The unidentified girl was charged after police investigations into a complaint that her step-father raped her found she had consensual sex with another man.

The juvenile court’s decision to flog the girl sparked outrage, with human rights groups condemning the ruling.

A spokesman for President Mohamed Waheed said on Thursday he is “shocked” at the ruling that the teenager would receive 100 lashes when she reaches 18 and  will seek to reverse the decision.

“The girl will also be provided with the necessary legal counsel and we hope the case will be concluded in about a month,” spokesman Abbas Adil Riza told AFP.

Source: AFP