11 Afghan Police Jailed over Mob Murder of Farkhunda

Farkhunda brutally murdered by a mob of hysterical Muslims
The attack took place in the heart of the capital and under the eyes of police

From BBC Asia

Eleven Afghan policemen have been sentenced to one year in prison for failing to protect a woman killed by a mob in the capital Kabul in March.

The 28-year-old woman called Farkhunda was beaten to death after being accused of burning a copy of the Koran, although witnesses say she did not.

Earlier this month four men were sentenced to death for her murder, with eight others handed jail terms.

The incident led to widespread protests against the treatment of women

The judge said there was no evidence against a further eight police officers, who were acquitted. The 19 police officers stood impassively in the dock as the sentences were read out.

"You are sentenced... for negligence of duty to one year in prison," Judge Safiullah Mojaddidi told those found guilty.

"The two groups that we have issued our verdicts on have the right to appeal. They can submit their lawful objections to the appeal court within the lawful period of time against our decision if they are not satisfied," he added.

Analysis from the BBC's David Loyn in Kabul

The legacy of Farkhunda is increasingly bitterly contested, explains the BBC's David Loyn

The treatment of police in this case has immediately been condemned as too lenient. One MP, Farkhunda Naderi, called it a symbolic verdict and said the wrong people were in the dock. She said that the Kabul police chief should have been put on trial.

The one-year sentences for failing to stop the killing contrasted with the four death sentences and eight long prison sentences handed down earlier this month to the men in the mob who killed Farkhunda.

The judge took longer to consider his verdicts in the case of the police. And Afghan justice itself has been put in the spotlight in this case as never before.

The failure of the court to ensure that defendants were represented, the swift verdicts for those who killed Farkhunda, and now the very light sentences imposed on some police officers, will not satisfy those who feel that justice has not been done.

The amulet seller is one of those sentenced to death earlier this month

"We have nothing more to say about this new verdict. We have already expressed our concern about the whole process," Farkhunda's brother Mujibullah told AFP. The family were not in court.

Farkhunda had argued with an amulet seller about his practice of peddling charms to women at the well-known Shah-Du-Shamshaira shrine, which is within walking distance of the presidential palace and Kabul's main bazaar.

Protesters condemn the killing of Farkhunda after her death in March
The case provoked fury among civil society activists

In the course of the argument Farkhunda was accused of burning the Koran and a crowd overheard and attacked her.

In confession statements read in court, some of the accused admitted they had been drawn in by the claims.

An official investigator has said there is no evidence she burned the Koran.

She was a budding Muslim scholar, probably far more Muslim than those who murdered her. Of course she didn't burn a Quran. The amulet peddler just wanted to shut her up, but knew the crowd would react hysterically and kill her.

Truth Comes Out About Woman Beaten to Death by Hysterical Mob

Farkhunda - my posthumous hero of the day

Farkhunda, 28, beaten by hysterical mob after mullah lied about burning the Quran

The Afghan woman who was lynched after being falsely accused of burning the Koran was killed for tackling superstitious practices, witnesses say.

It is believed that she was a religious scholar. Being a religious scholar in Afghanistan can only mean an Islamic scholar.

Farkhunda, who was beaten to death by a Kabul mob last week, had been arguing with a mullah about his practice of selling charms to women at a shrine.

In the course of the argument she was accused of burning the Koran and a crowd overheard and beat her to death.

There's a good bet here that the mullah or mullahs deliberately accused the woman of burning the Quran, and/or not being a Muslim. It's likely that she knew the Quran better than they and was using it to expose their greed, so they incited the crowd to murder her.

Hundreds of Afghans protested on Monday against the attack.

Afghan people survey the site where an Afghan woman was beaten  to death
and her body set on fire by a mob, in Kabul, Afghanistan 20 March 2015

At the scene: David Loyn, BBC News, Kabul

The event has raised new questions about the pace of reform in Afghanistan. And there has been no attempt in the government to deny the seriousness of what happened. A spokesman for the interior ministry, Sediq Sediqi, said the father was right to say that the police could have done more to save Farkhunda. "We will have to work on our measures, on our teaching and training for our police across the country, and this incident will bring a lot of changes within us," he said.

Unbelievable brutality - mass insanity

Farkhunda, 28, was beaten, hit by bats, stamped on, driven over, and her body dragged by a car before being set on fire. Lunatics, everyone of them should be locked up.

A policeman who witnessed the incident on Thursday told AP news agency that Farkhunda was arguing with a local mullah. Her father said she had complained about women being encouraged to waste money on the amulets peddled by the mullahs at the shrine.

"Based on their lies, people decided Farkhunda was not a Muslim and beat her to death," Mohammed Nadir told AP.

The policeman who saw the incident, Sayed Habid Shah, said Farkhunda had denied setting the Koran on fire.

"She said I am a Muslim and Muslims do not burn the Koran," he said. "As more people gathered, the police were trying to push them away, but it got out of control," he added.

March against the lynching of Farkhunda in Kabul, 23 March 2015
The killing has triggered unprecedented public outrage

Afghan members of the Solidarity Party of Afghanistan wearing masks bearing an impression of the bloodied face of a woman who was lynched by a mob chant slogans during a protest against the attack in Kabul on March 23, 2015.

An official investigator has also said there was no evidence she had burned the Koran.

"Last night I went through all documents and evidence once again, but I couldn't find any evidence to say Farkhunda burnt the Holy Koran," General Mohammad Zahir told reporters at her funeral on Sunday. "Farkhunda was totally innocent."

Police say they have detained 18 people over the incident, with more arrests expected. In addition, 13 policemen have been suspended for having failed to do enough to stop the attack.

Shukria, a woman visiting the shrine on Monday, told the BBC that the attack was "not just an attack on Farkhunda, but on all Afghan women. They have killed us all".

Demonstrators have called for justice and planted a commemorative tree.

March against the lynching of Farkhunda in Kabul

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has ordered an investigation into her death.

The attack, near the Shah-Du-Shamshaira mosque and shrine, is thought to have been the first of its kind in Afghanistan.

Breaking with tradition, women's rights activists carried the coffin at her funeral, a role usually performed by men.

Not mentally ill

Farkhunda's family initially claimed she was mentally ill, but this has since been retracted by her father who said he was told to say so by police to reduce the chances of violent reprisals against them.