In the last week the Taliban killed three people under Islamic law and video surfaced of Taliban members beating a 17-year-old girl.

Hello, I’m Charlotte Bellis, and you’re watching Newsy.com.

The region is getting renewed focus as western nations pledge resources to the U.S.-led effort in Afghanistan.

ABC News has a video of a 17-year-old Pakistani girl beaten and supposedly held down by her family for allegedly having a physical relationship with a man. The footage is graphic.

“’She had to be punished,’ the Taliban’s spokesman said, ‘The punishment administered by local Taliban was in our knowledge and they did the right thing, but the method was wrong,’ he added, saying the punishment should have been carried out inside.” (ABC)

Al Jazeera English provides the viewpoint of Afghan women who agree with a new Shia law, which opponents say greatly restricts women’s rights.

“It’s not simply something that men are pressuring us to accept. When we accept Islam as a woman, then we accept all the conditions that Islam gives for the protection of a woman.” (Al Jazeera)

An Afghan politician and women’s rights activist recently was gunned down outside of her home in southern Afghanistan. Canada’s CTV talks to her boss, who says her death will hold back women’s rights in the country.

“No one will take a risks to send their daughters and their mothers and their wives to become a member of parliament. So it is definitely a big blow to Afghan society.” (CTV)

In western Afghanistan, a couple was recently shot for attempting to elope to Iran. The Telegraph says as religious elders debated their fate, Taliban leaders stepped in to insist on their execution.

“[The Taliban’s] travelling justice commissions continue to settle disputes in much of the lawless south [of Afghanistan] where the government has no power and traditional tribal power has been eroded by decades of war.” (The Telegraph)

So, do you think the international community has a right to speak out against Islamic law? Is it a human rights or a religious freedom issue?

World News

Human Rights or Religious Freedom?

April 14, 2009
(2:10)
Newsy.com tracks a debate between human rights and religious freedom in the Middle East.
   
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